


Rise of the Goblins

by Cysteine



Series: One Step Left EXTENDED CUT [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Dark, BAMF Narcissa Black Malfoy, Cissamione, Dark Character, Dark Hermione Granger, Dark Magic, Discord: Cissamione, Elder Wand (Harry Potter), F/F, F/M, Goblin Rebellion, Hercissa, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Inferi, M/M, Marriage Law Challenge, Muggle Uprising, Muggle/Wizard Relations, Multi, Other, Slow Romance, The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2020-07-27 07:28:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 31,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20042182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cysteine/pseuds/Cysteine
Summary: An extended cut to One Step Left, told in five parts. This is the second part.---What would have happened if Dobby had flinched at Malfoy Manor and taken one step to the left, leaving Hermione behind to fend for herself and thus causing a terribly different outcome of the war?As Millicent thanked her friend and left, Pansy was urgently writing a letter to her Mentor to inform him of Hodrod's appearance. She had no idea what the Goblins were up to, but it was quite unusual to have two Wizards still working with them in the bank.





	1. A Day in Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is an actual group dedicated to secular ministry and outreach in the GLBT community. Their mission: To Promulgate Universal Joy and Expiate Stigmatic Guilt.

###  **HERMIONE**

Fleur and Hermione arrived by portkey to the Wizarding district in Paris, and as they exited the portkey room, she heard some upbeat, peppy dance-club kind of music. Hermione was confused at first as she was fairly certain it was Madonna in what should be a magical place when she noticed that the patrons were all men. 

"Do we have time for brunch?" The Brunette asked, seeing a bar area and hoping they served food. Fleur nodded, so the pair went to go sit at the bar, only to see Draco and Harry already there.

"Mon Dieu! How did they... Never mind."

"Welcome to Paris, Hermione!" Draco said jovially. He seemed oddly happy to be here, but Hermione realized it was probably where he could completely be himself and escape from the stares and whispers he'd get back home. She idly wondered if that’s why he didn’t feel the need to hide his emotions as much here, either.

"My, what a _ coincidence _, Draco." Hermione replied, doing my best impersonation of Professor Snape. She, however, was unable to stop the small smile from breaking character as he toasted with his empty glass. 

Harry took a double take at Fleur.

“How is she…?”

Fleur answered jovially.

“Hermione’s good at glamour charms. It’s only temporary, though.”

Hermione knew a distraction when she saw it.

“So why are you two here?”

Draco turned towards her, cocking his head slightly as he pretended to describe something complex to a simple person.

"Well, _ step-mother, _ I needed to move some money fast and purchase _ appropriate _ robes for the ball we’re going to. Also, the family solicitor is based here. And as for you, I know the proper place for you to have a makeover. Mother _ swears _ by it." 

She gulped at the idea of running into her after hiding away in Hogwarts. _ Merlin... not her, not today... _

"Is Cissy going to be here today, too?" She asked, knowing her wife could simply show up at any second if she wanted to. 

Draco shook his head.

"I haven't heard a thing." 

Harry decided to join into the conversation, apparently saving his friend from feeling awkward. Hermione was glad to have a moment’s reprieve.

"Hey 'Mione, good to see you out and about. How's married life?"

The smile she had for her friend faltered as she was forced to face her new reality all the same.

"No idea to be honest; I've been avoiding her.”

“You’re avoiding…? That’s not the Gryffindor I know.” 

“Well not on purpose... At first. Then life, you know, kind of happened."

"That doesn't sound like the Hermione I know." He said as Hermione restrained the urge to stomp my foot petulantly.

"I know, but… there aren't any _ books on this! _ I can't just pick it apart and research it; it's all about feelings, compatibility, and logically I know magic is at work here, forcing two jigsaw puzzle pieces to fit. So then I have to question if we actually fit, or is it just some of… _ mental glamour _making it look like we do? I would have never even looked at her before, not just because she was married, but... well, but now that I know her... I like her... but how much of it is actually 'me'?"

"And you worry that, without the magic, it doesn't work?" Harry asked, taking another fork-full of his brunch.

Hermione nodded uncomfortably. 

Draco lifted a finger to interject.

“Has anyone ever told you that you overthink things? Mum’s happier with you, and seems to love you. Just go with it.”

Hermione’s knot of tension at that finally burst.

“But why would she love me? What have I done to earn that?”

“...besides killing the abusive man who enslaved her with marriage, and protecting herself and me from The Dark Lord? Love isn’t some token you give as a reward, it just… is.” Draco’s eyes flick to Harry for a brief moment. “Love isn’t rational; sometimes you just feel things for people that…” He trailed off, unable to find the words to express it. 

Harry continued in the awkward pause.

"Okay ‘Mione, I know you like to logic this out, so let’s follow your puzzle pieces analogy; there's got to be some sort of larger portrait, right? What's the bigger picture for the two of you? What do you want your future to be? For me, I want a family and when I heard that Lupin and Tonks died in the war, I automatically invited Andi and Teddy to live with me in Grimmauld Place. I didn’t even question it because I love them as family and I knew I could help.” 

Harry took a large sip of his drink, a panicked look on his face as he flicked a glance to the bartender.

"Did that have... mmf-" Harry bolted from the bar towards the restroom, yanking Draco off of his own bar stool as he was tethered to the Auror with a proximity jinx as he scrambled to get back on his feet.

The bartender laughed at that, knowing that it was going to happen. "English stomachs cannot handle a little bit of spicy food." He muttered under the laughs. Draco was helping Harry by guiding him to the restroom. 

_ Why are those two are getting along so well, they don't even have a Compulsion? _Hermione wondered, looking to Fleur.

"Did you and Bill do a Bonding like I have with Narcissa?" 

Fleur shook her head at that.

"No, but it used to be the norm for my parents' generation. I know what can happen with them, why do you ask?"

Hermione felt flustered at that.

"I… I don't have any other women to ask this about, but I'm pretty certain this isn't normal. When I was… well, I _ orgasmed _ at the same time she did."

Fleur's eyebrows raised in surprise, which made Hermione feel judged and awkward. 

"Perhaps it was just good timing between you two?"

She shook her head. 

"She wasn't doing anything to me. She was… unable to."

Fleur looked confused at first.

"What do you mean, unable? Was she, like, tied up or something?" 

The Golden Girl paled at that. 

_ No, I wouldn't ever do that. I only dreamed of... did I actually do that? _

Hermione’s pulse raced, scared at what she did in the bedroom when she seemed to lose her inhibitions. Was she the type to get off by torturing someone, like Bellatrix? Horror creeped in at the edges, making her wonder if this was part of the changes since the Compulsion took root.

_ Oh gods, what's happening to me? FOCUS! Shake it off, Granger. _

"Hey, Hermione?” Fleur asked, looking relieved. “Okay, you're back." 

Hermione nodded once, briskly. Her mind was still stuck on what happened, however. 

_ I did those things... but why can't I remember? _

Fleur looked at her friend, concern etched on her face. 

"Sorry. I'm fine." She lied. 

_ I have to be, I can't let myself hurt Cissy. _

Fleur frowned slightly, but shrugged it off. "You need a gown, and I know exactly the man for the job..." Fleur turned to leave the pub, and Hermione hurried to follow her, fingers brushing the handle of the Elder Wand in her sleeve and willed herself forget this.

_ Obliv- _

"Fleur?! Oh my god, it's you!" The voice was deep as Hermione looked towards the source, her mind having to take it all in piece by piece.

He was a nun. 

In drag. 

Painted whiteface and rainbow glitter. 

Large Cornette Wimple. 

_ What in Merlin's name am I looking at?! _

"I'm sorry, I don't know... Michael?" Fleur said, her eyes widening in utter shock.

"Oui. But I now go by Sister Maria." The bartender seemed to recognize him and had an iced tea at the ready.

"Merci." He turned to face Fleur. "It's been years since..."

Fleur recomposed herself. "Yes, Tri-Wizard Tournament. I wound up marrying him."

"Oh, well, congratulations. I'm... a gay nun now." They shared a smile as he took a long sip. "In fact, I'm in the parade today." Hermione’s mind was utterly blown by his entire ensemble, making her wonder if people take him seriously.

"Excuse me, but what does a gay nun _ actually do _? And why is there a parade today?"

"Oh, well, I do a type of ministry for those who have been rejected from churches because of their lifestyles, as well as promote safer-sex practices, AIDS awareness, and anti-violence. And sweetheart, you mean to say you're in a gay bar _ on Pride _ and didn't know?"

"I.. um, just got here from London." The nun looked between myself and Fleur and was thinking.

"So Fleur, where's your husband? I know you're monogamous, and sweetheart here is totally not your type." 

"Died in the war." Fleur said bluntly. "I got too angry, and _ changed... _ permanently. Never realized how much of a freak show I'd be this way. I only look this way because of Hermione’s glamour."

"Oh, I'm so, so sorry to hear that, Fleur. You're still an elegant, brilliant, and beautiful woman; just because you don’t look human, doesn’t mean you’ve lost your humanity. The fact that you've survived his passing says a lot." 

Fleur smiled sadly, a tear rolling down her cheek. Hermione felt confused at what he said; did Veelas usually not survive the death of their spouse?

"Thank you. You always knew the right thing to say." He opened an arm to her, and she took it as a cue and crashed into a bear hug with him. Hermione’s mind was catching up with the new details as Draco and Harry came back to the bar, arm in arm.

"Besides, with all the others who will be dressed up in costumes and everything, you will blend in today as a Veela." Fleur chuckled softly at that.

Hermione took the lull in the conversation as a chance to introduce herself. "Hello, I'm-"

Fleur pulled away and wiped her tears. "Sorry, I should introduce you. This is Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is... Sister Maria, my ex-boyfriend from Beauxbatons." He nodded his greeting in a very feminine manner that had her confused. 

_ Do I treat him like a man or woman? _

"He is your ex? And you two are on good terms?" Hermione wasn’t certain if she could be friends with someone whom she ended things with, though she seemed okay with Viktor.

"Oh, we were inseparable at one point. Once he began to realize he was gay, I stayed with him to defend him from any potential rumors. He graduated a year before me, and wished me well before I went to Hogwarts for the year. We lost touch with each other shortly after I returned. I, uh, think I see why."

"I thought… _ this… _might take some explaining." He said, gesturing to his nun habit.

"Not really. You were always a good listener; loved helping other people, but-" Fleur started to ask.

"-why 'Maria'? The Sound of Music." Fleur smiled as a moment passed between them.

"How do you solve a problem like Maria?" Fleur sang quietly, as if reminiscing.

"How do you catch a wave and pin it down?" He replied, singing another line in the song. "And if you’re still the same Fleur I knew, you're coping by throwing yourself into work.”

Fleur nodded guiltily. 

“Owl me if you need to talk to someone." Sister Maria said before turning to face Hermione. "Now, sweetheart, what's eating you? I just met you but can sense there's something... off." He gestured with a shaky hand to emphasize his point.

His eyes narrowed as something crossed his features. Hermione could tell that he wasn't using legilimency, but it definitely felt like he was able to see into her mind.

"Before you doubt me, I think the word I want to use is... _ 'missing' _. Someone is missing here, or part of you is missing here, but you're not complete."

"I recently got a wife." She said reservedly.

"Oh, congrat... You didn't use the word 'married.' How come?"

"Long story."

"Well, make it simple. Do you love her?" 

"I... I don't know. I don’t think so; I mean, yeah she's beautiful, and I'm magically attracted to her, but she has a son my age. I just don't know where the magic ends and actual feelings begin."

"Honey, you don't marry someone if you don't know if you love them." 

“Well it wasn’t like I had a choice. I won her as a wife in a duel when I killed her husband." His eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh. Won a wife _ in a duel. _ Okay. Why were you two trying to kill each other?"

"It was during the war and Lucius was one of Voldemort's Lieutenants. I was a prisoner there, trying to escape." He nodded in acknowledgment.

"Lucius Malfoy? Narcissa, the Ice Queen herself, is your wife? Oh, I can see how this is complicated. Beneath that cold demeanor, do you think she loves you?"

"She seems quite okay with the arrangement, I guess."

"Well, do you two have enough in common to figure out if there's a chance for, at the least, friendship? Maybe even more than just that?"

Hermione thought of the time they shared in the Ministry lift as well as her wishing to help change the Wizarding World for the better, and she was very certain that they were on the same page when it came to reforming the laws to treat the Purebloods and Muggle-borns equally.

"Well, we actually do seem like we could get along. But I've also been noticing certain developments about myself. My, uh, _ desires _ have been changing, it frankly terrifies me. I'm scared that I'll hurt her as bad as her husband did."

As she looked at Fleur’s ex, it hit the Gryffindor that her concern that she might hurt her meant that she was loads better than Lucius ever was to her. 

"Oh? Sweetie, I don't think you'd even want to hurt a fly. Unless you mean the fun, sexy type of kinky pain. Have you brought this up with her? See if she might be willing to try it with you? You never know, she might enjoy it."

Hermione shook head fearfully. 

“I couldn't do that! That's just... barbaric.”

"Why not?" He asked it so flippantly as if there was absolutely no problem there.

"Well, it's... _ wrong. _" It is wrong; you don't hit the one you love. Probably shouldn't even tie them up, either.

"People used to think two men loving each other was wrong and wanted to make it illegal."

"And they _ were wrong _ for that!" Hermione blurted out in response, “Whatever two consenting adults want to do with each other isn't 'wrong' just because someone else finds it repulsive." They stared at each other as her own words sank in. 

Embarrassed, the Gryffindor looked over at Fleur, noticing that she was doing shots with Harry and Draco. 

“Hey, it's not even noon!”

"Hey, step-mum, you gotta try one of these." Draco said, giggling.

"Ugh, don't call me that... _ step-son! _" Hermione replied as the bartender was already pouring her a shot.

Harry's giggles turned into a laugh. "Pretty sure it's butterscotch schnapps cut with a giggling draught! Who knew drinking could be this fun!"

Hermione looked over to Fleur, who was biting her bottom lip to refrain giggling. Merlin, are they all getting drunk already?

The bartender pushed the shot over to Hermione. "The effects wear off in ten minutes, and there's barely any alcohol in it. But you all could use a shot of laughter, it's Pride today!"

"What's it called?" Hermione asked, observing the peach color of the concoction.

Harry and Draco had an arm around each other as they answered in unison, "Frisky Nipple!" and they kept giggling like schoolgirls around each other.

_ Well, here goes my Gryffindor boldness, _ Hermione thought as she took the shot, her mouth filling with the flavor of butterscotch and... _ giggles. _ There was no other word to describe the flavor quite as astutely.

Bearing her chin down, she swallowed the shot, clenched her jaw as she smiled at her friends, stifling giggles as she planned out which stores to hit up in Paris. 

It would be a good day after all.

* * *

###  **NARCISSA**

Narcissa's eyes were closed as her hair was being washed and nails were being attended to, and she had a mimosa on the way to enjoy during the haircut. _ It's been too long since I've been properly pampered, _ she thought to herself. _ I ought to do this with Hermione sometime... see if she's up for this. _

Her thoughts went back to the last time she had tried to comfort herself, a day in Hogsmeade chatting up Madame Rosmerta and gleaning any information about her son’s doomed mission to kill Headmaster Dumbledore. She had loathed what The Dark Lord had become, even before he returned as an inhuman being, as his tactics to gain power were going to instead destroy Pureblood culture and would have no impact on the rise in squib births.

_ If there’s anything worth saving about Purebloods anymore, _ she thought bitterly as she sipped her wine, her arithmantic equation on squib births continuing to rise while seeing more anti-pureblood rhetoric in the opinion columns of the Daily Prophet. Tradition was being reviled as antiquated, and the rituals designed to pay homage to The Ones Who Held Power Before were seen as evil. The “Sacred Twenty-Eight” weren’t calling themselves sacred out of some semblance of apotheosis, but rather there had been a shifting of power that started with the Primeval Forces, passed down to the Titans, then the Gods, and now to the realm of Wizards.

_ And if the rise of the Muggle-born is simply the next step, _ she wondered, _ they should know the stories and the Rites. _Taking a deep breath, the former Malfoy Matriarch opened her eyes to the present as the stylist towel-dried her hair and set the chair back upright, pushing the telescoping sink back towards the cubby by the wall.

David Mallett knew of her unique hair issue and had stumbled onto an idea, a radical attempt to change her permanently altered hair. The patches of black hair at the crown amidst the forced Malfoy blonde had always been an eyesore to him, but the proof of her Black heritage and stubbornness kept the dark locks pitch-black. They had argued about recoloring it to match the blonde many years ago, but now she seemed amenable to this alteration, and he was certain the new wife has something to do with it.

"So you're saying you can bypass the magical genetic recoding with a simple switching spell?" Narcissa questioned skeptically as he began to towel-dry her hair. He was a wizard, but preferred doing a lot of his work the muggle way because it could stand up to magic better. He was also brilliant at charming hair to do outrageous styles, but he preferred to stick to his muggle roots.

David had passed the French equivalent to the NEWT's in transfiguration, potions, and charms, and was certain about this. "We aren't trying to hide or destroy the blonde hair this way. Nor are we covering up the blonde on any of the strands of blonde hair; we're simply re-arranging the location of the hair follicles themselves. Besides, dark lowlights with this blonde hair is very in right now. This should make you look at least 10 years younger, and you can seduce your wife this way."

Narcissa frowned at the suggestion. "Seduce her? We're married already."

"Narcissa, the look on your face says it's not a happy union. Probably should spice it up."

"Well, the thing is, she didn't really get much choice in the matter."

Rolling his eyes, David started combing through and clipping the hair in parts, trying to isolate the black from the blonde. He remembered when she first came in talking about her impending wedding to the 'Arrogant Pureblood Arse'. He knew of her orientation and frowned as he did her hair for her Bonding Ceremony. "Well, did you ever woo her, or did her parents just sign the paperwork and expect you two to sort it all out?"

The Slytherin huffed in resignation. "It's complicated."

He tsk'ed loudly. "I'll take that as a no, and no wonder she's not interested. You've got to make her feel desired and not like... Well, like somebody waved their wand and was forced to be with you. She _ chose you _ for a reason."

"Well, that's just it. She never did choose." _ This is new Cissy time, _ she told herself. _ I am going to be honest to my friends, and prove my love to my wife. _ "It wasn't a traditionally arranged marriage where she could have requested to opt out through any myriad of machinations."

Narcissa knew that she needed to help preserve Pureblood culture, though parts of it needed to be pruned for the new age. She did truly respect the muggle-borns, and even admired Hermione’s convictions about House-Elf liberation, even if she didn’t agree with it.

_ She does have a point about codifying protections for their welfare, _ she thought as David separated her hair by color, clips holding the black away from the blonde.

"Hm. Hold on here, this might sting a bit... I'm going to try the spells and then seal it so it won't accidentally reverse with a 'finite'."

David began with switching spells to the scalp, to no effect.

“That should have worked.”

Narcissa raised an eyebrow at that. “What spell did you use?”

“Standard switching spell.” He cast a _ Finite Incatatem _ just to be certain and tried again, and still her hair refused to change.

Narcissa tittered at that. “Malfoy magic is pretty resilient; think you’ll need to try the swapping curse.”

Rather than flinching at the notion, David shrugged and did the stronger spell, ensuring that the magical signature moved with it. Once he saw a few strands swap locations, he continued, rearranging the location of the black hair so that it layered the same way that he had seen pop stars to lately. It stung Narcissa as individual strands were yanked out and replaced instantly in other locations. 

“Oh that’s an… annoying sensation.”

“Yeah, but at least it works now… back to your marriage to your new wife; that doesn't seem legal. I mean, here we are fighting for legal marriage equality for homosexuals in both the muggle and wizarding worlds, and she gets magically bound to you without any choice? She's a person, not a possession."

"If anyone was handed over like a possession, it was me." Narcissa had been coming to this stylist for a long time, and he even knew about her ex Odette soon after they first met in Paris. She felt like she could tell him anything, and he had been her only gay friend for so long. Now she had the possibility to live out as a lesbian, she was scared.

"I don’t understand; Cissy, does she love you?"

"I um... I'm not-"

Severus stalks back into the salon and sat down nearby, clutching a bag from Silverthorn's Apothecary and handing his friend the mimosa that was just out of reach. "I've never seen someone _ more stubborn _ stick around and prove her loyalty to this woman than Miss Granger has." Narcissa frowned at that. _ For a girl who doesn't love me, she sure does seem to act like she does. _

“Severus! When will I get you in my chair? I think you’d look marvelous with a blow-out to give your hair some body.”

“My funeral. I’ll let you do my hair before I am cremated.”

David rolled his eyes at the dry wit, smirking that he will have his day.

As David finished the spellwork, he moved on to trim the edges to layer right and added product that seemed to give it vibrance, Narcissa saw the transformation of her hair and her jaw dropped. She felt like a new person, looked like a new person, and was willing to do whatever it took to win her wife's heart. 

"David, brilliant as always. Alright, Severus, let's go find me a gown that makes my wife's heart stop."

She paid and tipped the wizard, finished her mimosa, and walked out with a new level of confidence she hadn't had for years.

Severus almost smiled until he realized that this would probably be an all-day affair. Instead, he nodded as he followed her into one of the more shallow layers of hell.

* * *

###  **HERMIONE**

After Hermione had a round of ‘the giggles’ via the shots, a red-haired witch in a slate grey suit and matching highwayman cloak entered the bar and nodded to Draco. At first glance, she seemed to be the same age as herself and her friends.

"Misses Granger, I'm Helena Harker, the legal solicitor on retainer for the family, which you've also inherited." Hermione looked over the girl before her skeptically. _ How old is this girl? She's the lawyer whom I'm supposed to trust? _

"Pleased to meet you. Forgive me for asking, but is it just you, or are you part of a firm with more experience?"

"Believe me when I say, I have a _ few lifetimes _ of experience. Your step-son Draco-"

"-don't call him that." Hermione interjected, cringing at the term. Helena nodded immediately in understanding

"Your wife's son, Draco, had informed me that you believe the economy of the UK will be affected by a goblin rebellion." Hermione nodded, unsure exactly how the goblins would attack the Ministry in order to obtain more power in the negotiations afterward.

"Very well; I've already taken the liberty of opening up accounts for you in both the muggle and wizarding worlds outside of the control of the Goblins. I just need your signature to approve the transfer. I also take it that you've been appraised of the company restructure and that now you're the CEO of Granger Enterprises?"

The facts were being tossed out too quickly, making her have to muddle through it all, fast. "I uh, yes... I have been told." _ Why does it feel like they planned this out already? Are Slytherins always this devious, or are they thinking of me with their best intentions? _

The witch pulled a scroll out of her cloak. "Then this should set everything right." She handed Hermione the document and a self-inking quill before turning to Draco. "Now you wanted to shunt your inheritance into a trust, _ and _ diversify your investments into the muggle world. Correct?" Hermione looked over the document before signing it; the wording was up-front and plain as the Solicitor handed over a billfold with muggle paper currency and two cards, taking back the paperwork and quill.

"For your shopping today, Hermione. It's attached to your new corporate account, so get the receipt." Helena muttered, matter-of-factly.

She eyed her step-son curiously, while Harry actually said what she was thinking. 

"Draco, what are you up to?"

Draco's lips pressed into a wan smile. "I'm either going to go to muggle University or do market research and expand Mal- um, Granger Enterprises. Helena, I might also want to change my last name to match my mum."

Hermione choked at the idea of _ Draco Granger. _

"Um, you really don't have to do that..." The Golden Girl hedged, feeling awkward about him having her last name.

"I haven't decided yet; the Malfoy name is mud and I don't need to be seen as the legacy of my father and his politics." 

"I think it is sweet. Come, Hermione, we should get to Avenue Montaigne..." Fleur lead Hermione away from the bar and paid the tab.

As the witches walked over to the fashion district, Hermione was worried that she'd wind up spending all day trying to find the perfect dress. 

"Fleur, I don't want to take all day... I was hoping we could stop and I could get a haircut. Draco mentioned that he could get me an appointment with David?"

"David? David Mallett? Wow, I've never even been... he’s really high end, right?" I shrugged, and assumed so. "I heard he was hard to get into, and even then, it would cost 40 Galleons just for a haircut..."

"That's over 200 pounds!" Hermione replied, shocked. _ Well, if this is the place Draco says that Narcissa goes to... he must be worth it... _ Hermione idly wondered what her frugal parents would have thought spending that much for something not textbooks.

They arrived at the store and a saleswoman looked curiously at the pair. "Bonjour... English?"

Hermione nodded sheepishly. She knew that she should have cast a translation spell. 

"So what can I help you ladies find today?"

Fleur's smile was tight, repressing thinly-restrained rage, so Hermione took the lead. "I have a ball to attend to this weekend, very posh thing, and I need something to just... stun everyone."

"You _ do _ know this is a very expensive store..." she warned, looking down her nose at the brunette. 

Hermione’s tight-lipped smile now matched the Veela’s.

"I just inherited the Malfoy Estate. I think I can afford a dress." She couldn’t keep the venom out of her voice.

She nodded, looking scared yet impressed. "Lucius and Narcissa are well-known here." She swallowed quickly. "Draco must be a... lucky man."

Hermione wondered if she should correct her, but explaining to a muggle that she killed Lucius and won Narcissa as a spoil of war might be a bit too much for her to handle.

"This way, madam. What color or cut were you looking for?"

Hermione froze up at that, uncertain beyond _ “make me pretty”. _

Fleur, thankfully, took charge at this point.

"Something in a dark blue, perhaps midnight blue or a bit darker than sapphire. As for cut, A-line, off the shoulder... something that will attract just a bit of attention, but nothing scandalous."

Hermione nods automatically, not being used to just sitting and have people bring gowns to try on.

It took only about an hour when the shopper and Fleur decided that they found the right one. It was midnight blue and had a halter top, was adorned with a bit of embroidery, housing a Sapphire at the neck and dangling a tear-dropped one at the bottom of the embroidery. There were pleats starting at the natural waistline and it overall gave a sophisticated yet sexy look.

“Isn’t this a little too Ravenclaw for me?”

Fleur shook her head at that. “Non; you are out of school now, be the beautiful Lady Granger that will make the wizarding world envy you.”

When she saw herself in it, she frowned slightly, wishing she could just charm her hair straight in order to imagine what jewelry would go with it. 

_ Except that we're in the muggle world now, _ she thought idly, _ I can't just reach for my wand. _

"Magnifique." Fleur praises, slightly stunned. "I am not into women, but I am _ into this look. _" Hermione smiled, hoping that this would work for Narcissa. Her heart flutters at the idea of seeing Cissy’s surprise at seeing her like this, ready to tear her out of the gown right there on the spot.

Getting shoes to match was much easier (needed an ankle strap of some sort) and once the pair was done, they were out in what Hermione assumed was record time and were headed to see the stylist David Mallett.

"Did you see the look on the shop girl's face when you asked where David Mallett's salon was?" Fleur said as she laughed about it.

Hermoine chuckled as well, relaxing and almost enjoying her first car ride in over a year. She tried to enjoy the sensation of peace and normality but the ride was over before she knew it.

Once inside the hair studio, Hermione was absolutely floored. It was as extravagant as it was unusual. A stuffed ostrich stood in the middle of one room on display, with a pair of albino peacocks on either side. Okay, this guy totally is the kind of eccentric that a Malfoy would like.

A middle-aged woman passed by me, holding a bag of salon goodies and a glowing expression on her face. "Oh he'll do wonders for you, dear! Those curls..." Her cell phone began to ring and she answered it as she exited.

Once she was gone, the pair of peacocks sprang to life and turned to face me. "David, we have a new girl here! And a Veela!"

"A Veela?! Be right there!" A masculine voice said from another room.

Hermione was absolutely baffled at this. "You can talk? Are you alive?"

The peacocks looked at each other. "We used to be. Then we got better."

David came into the room and pet the... _ holy crap those are re-animated! _Hermione realized with a start, and why they didn’t react with the muggle woman here.

"Ah, you must be the witch Draco said was coming. You’ve met my familiars, I see."

The peacocks turned to nuzzle his hand and blinked, the moves looking almost entirely natural. That’s when Hermoine realized it wasn’t simply transfiguration, but actual necromancy.

"Y-you couldn't have raised these from the dead!" She stated, horror etched in her face. His eyes widened, affronted at the accusation.

"Resurrection? _ Merde, _ I did no such thing! They were getting up in age, yes, so I offered them the Draught of Living Death and stitched their souls to mine. And as they never died, they don’t age, they even chose to stay like this with me.”

Hermione knew of bonding familiars, but didn’t know it could help the animal’s life be extended.

“And they talk.”

David nodded proudly at that.

“Now, **that's** my own handiwork there."

Hermoine considered this, puzzled as something seemed out of place.

"But the Draught of Living Death was only designed for _ humanoid _ use..." She said in wonder. _ He's creepy, _ she realized, _ but knows his stuff. _

"Well, I'm decent at potions, but I don't like using magic on hair. Way too easy for a spell to unmake it and cause problems. Now what do you want to do here? I see you need a trim, maybe a new style..." He ran his fingers through my hair and jerked his hand back in disgust.

"What?" Hermione asked, uncertain if she should be offended.

"You use that Sleekezey's shite; it's just horrid." He replied, directing me to sit in the chair by the basin. "I'm going to first wash it out and condition your hair to repair all the damage left by that crap." He turned on the water and thoroughly checked the temperature by hand. 

"Damage?! It's the only thing that works on my hair!" Hermione huffed, knowing what did and didn’t work on her hair.

"Silicone and Sulfate additives... designed to overpower the hair like it's some sort of beast that need to be conquered... ugh. Why do you think your split ends come from, wear and tear?" He poured a bit of the shampoo and started to lather it into my hair, and the smell was absolutely divine.

"Ooh, what's that?" Hermione asked, curiosity getting to her.

"Alcohol and sulfate-free shampoo with Ginger. It hydrates while refreshing your scalp. All the cheap products out there are alcohol-based, making your hair feel dirtier faster and making hair like yours frizz more. If you had thin, fine, super-straight hair, you'd look like a drenched cat with that tonic. Your hair has natural oils that want to work with you, but the cheap chemicals strip all that away." As he washed the Gryffindor’s hair in the basin, Hermione looked up to see his face. He had an olive tone and dark, spiky hair. He looked to be in his 30's, but she could tell he was older. He could have been placed as either a rock star or an academic from his style. After the rinse, he began to lather in a conditioner that smells absolutely divine.

“So, no more Sleekezeys with the silicone, okay?”

"But the humidity makes my hair go all frizzy!" She replied, shocked that he didn’t know this.

"That’s only if you don't dry it right; use a plain t-shirt, not a towel with all those loose fibers. By the way, who cut your hair last? The layering here looks abhorrent, no wonder you're dealing with your hair poofing out!" 

Hermione wanted to snap at him; she had to cut her own hair during the war.

"David, I had to cut my own hair. _ I was a bit busy, _ you know, being on the run from the Ministry."

His eyes widened as he looked the young lady over again. "Oh shite! You're Hermione Granger! I heard about the war, I just didn’t think you’d be here at the behest of Draco. So you… survived being on the run for months... I don't think I could handle a week without my familiars, my friends... not to mention reliable shelter. Well, since you're alive, I guess the war's over and your side won?"

The Golden Girl nodded slightly, enjoying the sensation of his fingers washing her hair. He rinsed out the conditioner and began to squeeze dry the hair by hand, before wrapping the hair in a cotton shirt and twisting it into a turban-like bun on the top of her head, directing the Gryffindor to sit in a different chair.

“Mimosa, soda, wine?” he asked, gesturing towards his bar. “Complimentary, of course.”

“Gin and Tonic please.” David nodded to Fleur, who understood she had been voluntold to get the drink ready.

“Get yourself something too, love.”

The Veela helped herself to a glass of champagne as she made and returned the drink to Hermione.

"Yeah, 'we won', if war is something that can be easily sorted out. There are loose ends and the cleanup still to deal with. And _ impossibly long boring awards banquets _I have to attend as the bloody Golden Heroine." She muttered, almost wishing to be anonymous again. He looked directly at her, fingers gently pulling the hair down to frame her face and judging the length of it.

"Well, I'm glad the Big Evil is gone, but right now I'm facing battle with split ends..." Taking his wand out, he casts a variation of the medical diagnostic spell (surprising the Gryffindor, who never thought one could do that on hair) and nods once, canceling the spell with a quick flick.

"Was that what I think it was?" She asked, incredulous.

"Oh, just a modified diagnostic-meets-severing charm. Saves me time in trying to isolate each and every split end." He said it flippantly as he grabbed a pair of scissors and began layering and shaping her hair.

"You've got _ amazing hair _ and wonderful curls... you just have to learn to work with what you have before you."

"Ugh, it's such a bloody pain though; I've essentially been a bookworm all my life and now I've got to look my best for some public function."

"Look, honey, you're born with amazing curls. Stop trying to fight them with that potion and just work with it. Here, let me show you how to section it off and finger-curl..." He stood in view of the mirror and used a series of clips to part her hair, then wrapped small locks of hair around his finger, squeezing the water out as he wound his way up to her scalp, clipping it in place.

It only took about ten minutes, and never once did he resort to using magic. 

"You can look so much better if you just embrace yourself rather than live in denial of having this amazing head of curls..." He muttered as he started to unclip the curls and let them cascade down, curling in locks as opposed to every strand fighting to curl chaotically.

"Oh, I'm not sure I'll have the time to do this everyday..." She said, loving the hairstyle but not the daily effort that it would take. “I usually just stuck it in a bun or a clip and kept it out of my face.”

David turned me around and gave me the 'unamused' look. "You'll make the time. And don't charm it, it'll not work as well. Also invest in silk pillowcases, that reduces the frizz."

"Okay, I'll try." She said as he began to spray what was labeled a coconut oil sealant on the curls. 

"You'll impress all the boys when they realize it's not spelled in place. No surprises by a random spell hitting it, either. You have no idea how many hairdos have been ruined by simply having muggle electricity nearby."

"Oh, I'm... uh, married." The Golden Girl said sheepishly.

"My apologies; then your... husband will love it still. Huh. You... seem almost too young to be married."

"Tell me about it. Wasn't even my idea, really."

"What's his name?"

"Um, it's a woman. Long story."

David was gobsmacked at that, looking to the Veela for confirmation, who gave a tiny nod.

"**Merde!** Let. Me. Guess. Black-and-Blonde lady, regal and _ slightly _stuck up? Draco calls her 'mother'? Wow. She's a knockout, girl. You two are going to need rings to warn other people off." 

"My friends think I should get an annulment."

"Well, your friends need to be supportive of you until you decide she's not worth it. Did you see the parade today? That came about because there was so much negativity and hostility towards gays, lesbians, and everyone else who was different to the point that they needed to reassert themselves. Besides, one look at you and she's going to melt like candy in your hand. Take a look.”

As Hermione looked at her reflection, she couldn't help but agree with him. _ Holy crap, my hair looks good like this! _ Even Fleur was surprised at the transformation, and with a few tweaks of her cosmetic charms, she knew that the dress and heels would work perfectly.

They paid the bill, leaving a generous tip before the pair of them made their way back to L'Enchanteur where they could portkey back to London. The Veela carried the bags as Hermione opened the door.

"Wait, what are you going to wear, Fleur?" She asked as they re-entered the bar. It was oddly comforting to see a variety of rainbow flags amidst the collection of gay and lesbian wizards and witches. The music wasn't the pop dance music from before, but instead... Karaoke. Hermione grinned at that, looking for the machine and stage as she heard singing.

Hermione realized that whomever was on stage doing an amazing job, considering...

_ "... She said come baby, You got a license for love- _  
_ And if it expires, Bring Hell from above because… _  
_ In the midnight hour she cried 'more, more, more' _  
_ With a rebel yell she cried 'more, more, more' _  
_ In the midnight hour, babe 'more, more, more' _ _  
With a rebel yell, 'more, more, more... More, more, more'..."_

Billy Idol. Hermione remembered how much she loved that singer in her rebellious phase growing up. Moving through the crowd, she idly wondered if Draco and Harry were still here. When she arrived at the bar, she automatically ordered a Gin and Tonic, and cute bartender nodded in understanding, walking two pints of beer to a gay couple down the bar and she caught herself glancing at the young woman’s bum appreciatively. 

The Golden Girl looked away, chastising herself slightly. _ Okay, I'm definitely into women. Can't deny it. _

_ "She don't like slavery, she won't sit and beg _  
_ But when I'm tired and lonely she sees me to bed _  
_ What set you free and brought you to me, babe? _ _  
_What set you free? I need you here by me, because..."

_ "In the midnight hour she cried 'more, more, more' _  
_ With a rebel yell she cried 'more, more, more' _  
_ In the midnight hour, babe 'more, more, more' _ _  
With a rebel yell, 'more, more, more' "_

"Here you go, bloke at the end paid for it." The bartender said, surprising Hermoine as she peered down the bar to see a familiar looking, shoulder-length dark-haired man walking away from the bar. 

Hermione thanks the bartender and leaves the bar, easily finding Fleur before looking for the man who paid for her drink, wondering if that was Headmaster Snape.

_ "He lives in his own heaven... _  
_ Collects it to go from the seven eleven _  
_ Well, he's out all night to collect a fare... _ _  
Just as long, just as long it don't mess up his hair"_

Hermione wound her way around the tables and saw a woman on stage; she was blonde with black streaks bleeding through near the ends, framing her jawline and making her pale skin stand out in a stunning manner. She wore a black pencil skirt, matching overbust corset top, and a leather jacket that seemed gothic and punk at the same time. Her bangs were similarly blonde and black...

...and she was looking at and winking at the Gryffindor through the instrumental, making the Golden Girl’s jaw drop in shock. 

_ Holy crap it's Narcissa, _ Hermoine thought, _ she barely looks thirty now... _

"Misses Granger, your mouth is open." Severus said, smirking. Hermione’s jaw clamped shut, surprised but comforted to see his more playful side come out. She takes another sip of her drink as Narcissa crooks her finger, inviting her wife onto the stage.

Hermione tries to wave her off, only to get nudged forward by Fleur.

Gathering her resolve, Hermione stepped up onto the stage as the drum solo started, knowing that everyone's eyes would be on the pair of them. Narcissa’s eyes were only for Hermione, however as she sang straight into her wife’s heart.

_ "I walked the world with you, babe _  
_ A thousand miles with you _  
_ I dried your tears of pain, babe _ _  
A million times for you"_

With a deft movement, she moved the mic away from her lips quick enough to steal a kiss, getting loud applause from the bar patrons.

_ "I'd sell my soul for you, babe _  
_ For money to burn with you _  
_ I'd give you all and have none, babe _ _  
Just to, just to, just to, to have you here by me, because..."_

Narcissa put her arm around Hermione and belted out the lyrics, holding the microphone between the couple. Hermione sang along, not even having to take a look at the prompter.

_ "In the midnight hour she cried 'more, more, more' _  
_ With a rebel yell she cried 'more, more, more' _  
_ In the midnight hour, babe, 'more, more, more' _  
_ With a rebel yell, she cried 'more, more, more... _ _  
More, more, more'... "_

Hermoine took another sip of her drink as Narcissa’s cerulean blue eyes gave a look of smoldering desire. The mere contact between them was almost electric, as Hermione’s heart seemed to beat wildly. Hermione ached for this level of need, and wondered why she ever tried to distance herself in the first place.

_ "Oh yeah, a little baby _  
_ She want more, more, more, more, more, more _  
_ Oh yeah, a little angel _ _  
She want more, more, more, more, more, more..."_

The crowd applauded, and Hermione buried her face in Narcissa’s shoulder from the public attention. Once the wolf-whistles started, Cissy lead the pair of them off of the stage.

"So, Narcissa... You're here." Hermione muttered, her face deep red as she turned away to shield her face with her hair. Narcissa’s gentle fingers brushed her wife’s chin, locking their eyes together.

"Hello, Hermione." Uncertainty was in the creases of Narcissa’s eyes, worried that her wife might run again.

"Let me guess; Severus brought you here." 

Narcissa nodded, making Hermione realize that they were both set up to meet each other here.

"Yeah. And Fleur brought you." Cissy's reply was carefully neutral, to the point that Hermoine realized she had been walking on eggshells.

Hermione knew she needed to speak up, but her Gryffindor bravery was only useful when she was being attacked by trolls, Death Eaters, and snatchers. She had no idea where her bravery is when it comes to relationships.

Narcissa filled the growing silence.

"You didn't come home."

"Well, there was work to be done." Hermione deflected as Narcissa stared at her, filling the Golden Girl with a sense of guilt stronger than she’d had before.

"You helped _ literally save the world, _ you're allowed a day off, 'Mione! Besides, you need to take responsibility for your own happiness. _ Our _ happiness."

That last part struck a nerve, setting the Gryffindor on the defensive.

"Wait, why am _ I _ responsible for... I didn't sign up for this!”

Hermione knew deep down that Narcissa was right. They both are in this situation together, and they have to work it out together.

"Your happiness is my responsibility, too. You didn't come home, so I had to assume you were happier just avoiding me." Cissy frowned at that, making Hermione start to understand her wife’s perspective on this. “I've been miserable over in what was Malfoy Manor without you, cleaning up all of the death and destruction by The Dark Lord with only Herpy to help!”

Hermione huffed at that, grasping for an excuse.

"Well, I’m sorry, but you were mad at me," Hermione hedged, "and I've been dealing with, uh… certain desires that kind of scare me. Stuff I never liked before, and I don’t know if it’s this damn Compulsion or whatever that is making me want to… do these things to you." 

Narcissa’s face fell as she showed how hurt she was, and yet moved forward and placed a gentle hand on Hermione’s cheek. _ Despite all this, she wants to soothe and comfort me. _

"I wanted you to come home so we could talk, and I won’t lie; my body has been literally aching for your touch. I'm not mad anymore; _ I just need you _. However you want me, however you desire me... I don't care. I need you, I need this."

Hermione pulled away, overcome with sensation and need throbbing within herself.

"That’s just it though; I need you too." She replied, arms crossed, hugging herself defensively, "and it feels like some sort of... itch... that I can't scratch away. Almost like an addiction, and that scares me." 

Narcissa reached out in a gesture for her wife’s hands, and Hermoine extended her right hand as her left still scratched at the mark on her wrist.

"You might be right about it feeling like an addiction; Andi thinks it's a symptom of us in withdrawal as we’ve been trying to ignore the Compulsion."

"Well, there's really only one sure way to deal with this..." Narcissa replies with a coy smile. Hermione trembles as magic seems to travel up and down her spine, begging the Gryffindor to close the distance.

The Golden Girl steps back towards her wife, clasping her shoulder and bringing her thumb around the blonde’s throat in a possessive manner, adding the barest bit of pressure as her adrenaline spikes in excitement.

"I think I know _ exactly _ how I want you." Hermione closed the distance, hungrily taking her lips in a passionate kiss. 

_ Gods above, _ Hermione marveled, _ why did I run from this?! _

Narcissa melted into the embrace, a heady feeling floated through the pair as the Ice Queen turned into putty into her wife’s hands. The kiss finally ended when they both needed air, the brunette licking her lips to savor it.

"You ran for the same reason I did, ‘Mione." 

“Did I ask that out loud?” Hermione asked, puzzled.

“No, and forgive me for sounding like a villain’s monologue, but you and I… aren’t that different.”

Hermione chuckled at that, enjoying the touch of her wife. 

“Do you trust me?” Her eyes flicked from the azure blue to the soft pink of her wife’s lips, watching her gulp down the excitement between them.

Narcissa nodded, eyes wide and needy. 

"I trust you." 

Hermione took that as consent as she pulled her into an embrace and apparated the pair back to their home, to their bed, where they had made love for the very first time.

She pulled out her wand with a wicked, playful grin.

"Levicorpus."

* * *

###  **NARCISSA**

Narcissa nodded to the woman before her, heady with anticipation as if they had never met before in their lives.

"I trust you." The world went away, tight bands pressing around the pair of them. They landed in their bedroom of Granger Manor. Narcissa was still re-orienting herself as to which way was up as the spell filled her with dread.

"Levicorpus."

_ Holy fuck. _

The world was turned upside down, or at least that's what it felt like to the blonde. She was dangling by an ankle, her pencil skirt bunching up around her knees as blood rushed to her head as well as the lower parts of her body.

_ What is she up to? _ Narcissa thought as her knickers were magically ripped off of her. 

Hermione stalked through the doorway and paused to lower the lights with a flick of her wand. _ She's dimming the room to be more like... _

From Narcissa's upside-down view, she saw the wicked grin on her wife's lips. She's dual-wielding wands, and one of them was the DeathStick. Cissy was curious to know what her wife was planning, but before she could ask, conjured ropes begin to slither around her wrists and ankles as a wand-tip traced up the back of her spine, a severing charm cutting through the laces of her corset.

“You’re going to mend that later, right?” She muttered, voice husky with need.

The Slytherin shivered in anticipation and fear as the top was removed, and another wand-flick vanished her skirt altogether. _ Hey, I liked that skirt! _Cissy thought as a slow lap of her wife's tongue on her quim wiped all thoughts from her head.

“No more talking, my love.”

Hermione moaned, pleased with herself as the blonde was dangling from one ankle and her thighs trembled slightly. The ropes continued to wrap themselves and pulled her towards the ground, the levicorpus spell ending slowly as the older woman was gently dropped in a kneeling position in front of her wife.

Hermione paused as she transfigured her dress into a form-fitting black PVC halter dress, so short that it barely covered anything. _How is it that this woman has such painfully_ _beautiful curves?_ Narcissa wondered, her breath thready in anticipation as her wrists struggled against the rope ties. Heat and wetness begin to pool within her as she worried that her own moisture would run down her thighs.

Hermione stood before her, eyes locked on hers with ravenous hunger. Narcissa couldn't even focus, as she felt mesmerized by those honey-brown eyes, watching and waiting for the serpent's strike. _ So much for her being a Gryffindor, _ she mused as her teeth raked over her bottom lip. Hermione's panting is quiet, yet apparent as she's just used quite a few intense spells in short order. Ice blue eyes blazed back into brown with tangible desire; a need that was pure unadulterated lust.

_ Slytherin's Snake, I could spontaneously combust from her look alone _, Narcissa thought, gasping for air. A slick pool of moisture ran down Narcissa's thigh as their eyes met and Cissy quit fighting the restraints. She realized she was captured, naked, and vulnerable to the woman before her. The fear was palpable, and was mostly responsible for the wetness pooling around her knees as she knelt on the floor.

Hermione's prurient smile and wicked gleam in her eyes was as sexy as it was unnerving for her wife.

"Please don't hurt me," Narcissa whispers, pleading.

Hermione's brow furrows, blinking twice. _ Say something, anything! _

"Hermione?"

Hermione's mouth drops open slightly in surprise, and Narcissa nuzzles her wife with her cheek, looking up to her with nervous eyes and a shuddering breath. Slowly closing her eyes, Hermione leans over until their noses touch, and lips almost brushing, Cissy's breath hitching in her throat. Hermione's fingers stroke a cheek and runs through her lovers' hair to soothe frazzled nerves.

The Gryffindor's voice wavers for a moment, a hint of the nervous girl beneath the confident exterior.

"Cissy, tell me that this is okay. That… we both want this. That it's not just some fucking spell forcing me to want you, or forcing you to let me take advantage of… _ you _ … _ ” _ Hermione took a deep breath, her eyes and jaw clenched shut in the fateful moment.

"We still have free will; look at the past week. It sucked, but we're both here by choice. This isn't just magic, I actually want this. The rope, the bondage, the illusion of fear. I want you and I trust you."

"Even though I'm uh… going to use you as I see fit?" Hermione said, her heart pounding furiously in her chest.

Narcissa nodded. "In that case, I- uh, I consent and gladly give… all of myself to you, wife." Narcissa was almost sure she heard her wife purr at that. Hermione nuzzled her cheek against her wife and savored the moment.

"O... okay. Hmmmmm... Have I mentioned I love your new hair?" Hermione says huskily. Narcissa's soft moan in reply is barely audible, and as their eyes meet again, the look is wary, like she doesn't know what's happening.

Taking the initiative, Hermione pulls gently on Narcissa's hair, tilting her head up to kiss, forcing her tongue between her lips and into her mouth. Hermione groans as Cissy whimpers in delight; hands embracing her and pulling them closer. As the Slytherin is still bound and fighting the rope ties, something breaks in her and Narcissa finally kisses Hermione back; hard, needy, and possessive. Tongue and lips twist and duel each other, seeking dominance and passion. She tastes divine.

Hermione pulls back suddenly, the collective breathing ragged and mingling. Where do I stop and she begins? Narcissa's hands quit fighting the restraints as Hermione's eyes narrow in question.

"What are you doing to me?" Hermione whispers, confused. “What are you?”

"I’m kissing you... and I’m your wife." As Narcissa says that, Hermione's eyes look down, ashamedly.

"You... um... said not to hurt you."

"What?" Cissy was confused, needing to return to hungry kisses, the quenching of desire...

"Just now, you said for me to not hurt you... I thought it might be fun to try being a little rough?" The Gryffindor’s voice nearly cracked with nervous energy.

That’s when Cissy realized that her wife was nervous; she didn’t want to scare her away. 

The pregnant pause was too much for the Golden Girl.

"We… well, I… have never really done stuff this before." She stammered, hoping for a response.

Narcissa smiles back at her wife, her own thighs trembling in need.

"Oh, ‘Mione, I've never been so turned on before. And you being assertive and domineering is so – well, _ hot _." 

Hermione's eyes widen slightly, filled with wonder and lust. 

Cissy made a small sound of amusement as she realized the bookish intellectual was at a loss for words when this far aroused. It's a heady mix, Narcissa realizes, as she swallows down her panic instinctively. Hermione's fingers thread through and grip the blonde-and-black-streaked hair as she crawls forward and grinds her pubic mound on her wife's lips, fisting the hair between her knuckles.

_ Oh my… Please, tell me to please you and I will, Hermione... _Narcissa's teeth almost chatter from the sexual tension, and she has to remember how to talk again.

"Gods above and below, what exactly did you do to me?" Narcissa breathes, astonished as she nuzzles her wife’s wet sex. Hermione shudders and gathers her resolve as she climbs off of the bed, helps Cissy stand up, hands unable to stop themselves from brushing up and down Cissy's arms.

"I want - _ need _ \- to possess you. I want to inflict a little pain, assert myself, and make you mine. Just… ** _mine._ ** ” Hermione nods, steeling herself with another breath. “And I'm _ frustrated _ and _ aroused _because you said you'd trust me, but also to not hurt you..." Her eyes glitter dangerously as her hands traveled lower, fingernails trailing her hipbone as her right hand clamped down on her lover's thigh like talons.

"I want you Cissy, and I want you **now**. And if you're not ready for me to try hurting you just a little – which I think you just might like – I'm going to fuck you over this couch right now, hard, for my pleasure, not yours."

Narcissa realized exactly how difficult it was for Hermione to not only deal with these new desires, but to restrain herself as well.

"Oh, I know I'll like it. I'll let you know if it gets to be too much." 

Hermione moves quickly and her hand is cupping the blonde's sex, one of her fingers sinking slowly inside. Her other arm holds her firmly in place against the couch, bending the Slytherin backwards as Narcissa tries to suppress her moaning.

"This is mine," she whispers aggressively. "All mine. Do you understand?" She eases her finger in and out as she gazes down at her wife, gauging her reaction, eyes burning.

"Yes, yours," Narcissa breathes as her desire, like molten metal, surges through her veins, affecting… everything. Everything was alight with passion and desire; nerve endings, ragged breathing, heart pounding, and blood thrumming through her ears. 

_ Nothing else matters nor exists, it's just me and her, and I belong to her. I am hers utterly. _

Abruptly, Hermione moves, doing several things at once; withdrawing her fingers, leaving Narcissa panting and pleading, undoing the rope restraints, pulling off her own knickers, and shoves Narcissa down onto the bed, face up, so that the Gryffindor is straddling on top of her.

"Hands above your head," she commands through gritted teeth as she kneels upright, her own quim hot and clenching in need. Narcissa places her hands above her head, and Hermione once again binds her wrists together.

The moment between the women is electrified as their need spikes. Hermione's crawls to re-position herself, moving her hips to meet Narcissa's face – I need to taste her, now, just like this – "I'm going to ride your face, rough and hard." Narcissa's mouth opened and her tongue darted out, just barely too far away to touch her lover's folds.

“Ugh, you fucking tease! Closer, please…” Narcissa gasped as a wand vibrated at the tip of her clitoris, sending shudders of pleasure through her. As the Slytherin’s hips rocked into the sensation, Hermione's hips rolled forward and Cissy did exactly what was expected of her.

"This will be quick, and it's for me, not you. Do you understand? Don't come until I do, or I will punish you," Hermione says suggestively as she looks down upon her whimpering wife. Narcissa nods the best she can under the circumstances, and is rewarded with a stronger vibration charm.

The vibrations on her clitoris were making Narcissa's hips rock into the air as she kept eye contact on her wife, alternating from delving into her wife with her tongue and sucking on the swollen clit before her. The sensation of being used and pleasured at the same time was building the orgasm within her as a thread of panic went through as doubt settled in.

_ Holy crap… how do I stop? _

Hermione moaned loudly, gutturally, her hips rocking as she reveled in the sensations. Her left hand fisted the crown of Narcissa's hair and shuddered as her thighs began to quiver from their lovemaking.

_ No, this is not lovemaking. This is fucking. And I am loving every second of it. _

Narcissa reveled in the restraints, being pinned down, forced to please her wife this way. She beheld the pert breasts swaying slightly as Hermione bucked her hips to get the perfect angle for the blonde to pleasure her.

They kept at it, rocking and sucking, licking and tongue-fucking hedonistically as the vibrating wand-tip was threatening to push the Slytherin over the edge.

Hermione arched forward and made eye contact with her wife as she began to tremble and move faster and with total abandon, her throat breaking into a passionate moan as she finds her own release, wave upon wave of pleasure cresting and crashing.

"Oh fuck Hermione, I can feel your... I can't hold off..." Narcissa pleads from between her lover's folds. The wand is pulled off of Narcissa's sensitive spot and both hands seize upon the former Malfoy's head as Hermione comes fully and loudly, her body full of micro-tremors as her skin flushes red and she rolls off of her lover, cancelling the rope restraint charm.

Hermione lies beside her lover, studying Cissy's naked form and grinning at the result. Narcissa whimpers as her body is on the verge, needing completion by her wife's permission.

"Don’t touch yourself yet; I want you to remember feeling this frustrated. I want you to remember and understand that you’ll never deny me what's mine." Her honey brown eyes shone darkly, cravenly. Narcissa understood, perhaps only deep in her subconscious mind, that this wasn’t the libido of Hermione Granger, Golden Girl, friend of Harry Potter. This was something darker within; a melding and fusing of the Compulsion with the Dark Magic she’d been exposed to. It was equally new and surprising to the Gryffindor herself, something that she would have to come to terms to.

On the surface, in the moment, Cissy nods, panting. "Please let me come, please..." The Gryffindor smiled wickedly as she put three fingers in her wife's mouth, making her lubricate them before she suddenly fucks the blonde with them.

"You are mine, slut. SAY IT." Hermione demands, using her fingers' rhythm penetrating her wife to accentuate her words, "You. Are. Mine." The immediate wetness and sudden stretching had Narcissa out of her mind at the moment and could only obey.

"I am yours, Ma'am. This slut is all yours. Yours, yours… may I come, _ please? _" As Cissy begged, a stray thought went through her mind, was this all my fantasy of just hers?

Hermione nodded, beginning to kiss her wife fervently as if a ritual. "Come for me..." And Narcissa exploded, moaning and screaming as their kiss grew deeper as they shared the moment, the orgasm, and their thoughts.

_ Gods, I love you, Hermione _. Narcissa thought as their tongues danced about each other between their lips.

Where one ended and the other began was no longer a fixed, knowable point. Hermione's cunt felt sore like Narcissa's despite what happened. Narcissa's thighs gave way though she hadn't been on top.

"You feel better now?" Hermione asked, curled on her side with a leg thrown over Narcissa, planting soft kisses on her neck.

Cissy nodded. "I didn't know you could..."

"Me either. But I'm a Gryffindor; Fortune favors the bold. And I've been wanting - _ needing _\- to possess you like that. Um, if that's okay with you."

Narcissa yawned, noticing their relative ease around each other now. "That is more than okay. I've missed... Belonging... To someone like that whom I entirely trust." Narcissa rolled onto her side and Hermione spooned in behind her, curling her arm around her protectively.

_ Oh this is comfortable. This feels right… _Her eyelids grew heavy and she closed them, savoring the scent of their commingling.

Hermione was gobsmacked at that. "You trust me?"

"Of course, 'Mione. I love you." As the Slytherin fell asleep in the bed, the Gryffindor's eyes were wide in shock at the pronouncement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are a few more of my musical associations for the characters here. (Yes, I've found a NIN song for EVERY main and supporting character here) Because I don't want to release any spoilers, I'll be timing the release of the songs with their characters as they develop.
> 
> Severus Snape: Hurt (Post-Lily) / I do not want this (Post-Tonks)  
Fleur Weasley: Something I can never have (Flyleaf's cover conveys Fleur really well in my opinion)  
Kingsley Shacklebolt: Everyday is Exactly the Same  
Hermione: (Mid-story) Me, I'm not  
Narcissa: (Mid-story) Terrible lie


	2. The Morning After

**HERMIONE**

Hermione woke up in the middle of the night, rolling over to see her wife sleeping peacefully after a lengthy night of assignation. Her arm had been draped over the brunette, which she had found comforting as she slept. 

_ Maybe this _ ** _is_ ** _ love? _ She wondered, her wife’s verbal admission surprising her.

It wasn't sun-up yet and the Gryffindor felt peckish. In fact, she couldn't recall much about last night except amazing sex and what Narcissa had said afterwards.

_ She said she loved me. _Hermione was not at all ready for this. 

She didn’t want to think on it, so she looked to distract herself with a midnight snack as she got out of bed, put on a dressing gown, and made her way to the kitchen. There was a twinge in her legs, a wonderfully sore reminder of a few hours ago. 

Herpy was asleep on a blanket by the kitchen and clutching a small stuffed unicorn foal. It looked like it might have been something a young Draco might have had, and the feeling of home only grew stronger within the heart of the Gryffindor. She silently crept past the elf and found leftover pork cutlets and seasoned potatoes under a stasis charm.. It was basic, yet seasoned impeccably and just enough to tide her over.

"Can Herpy serve Master Granger?" The elf whispered blearily.

"No, I am fine. Please go back to sleep; I just needed a midnight snack." She replied as the elf nodded and flopped onto her makeshift bed.

After satiating her hunger, she went back to the bedroom and crawled into bed, lazily opting for a tooth cleaning charm as she spooned behind a somewhat-sprawled-out Narcissa. 

Pulling her left arm over the blonde, Hermione’s fingers grazed a forearm as she found Narcissa’s arm covering her own, fingers threading together as if it were second nature for the pair. She wondered how the Ice Queen could be so open to this kind of touch, as if this is what love should feel like in the long term. Instinctive feeling of home with another person.

Hermoine recalled what she had overheard other girls say about their romantic interests back at Hogwarts; it was something overwhelming and powerful, as if unchecked teenage hormones made it explosive. Like Romeo and Juliet, but without the whole tragic double suicide ending.

What Hermione had here with her wife seemed more like what her parents had; a pair that had been together on a long journey and grew stronger after all the storms they had to weather.

She rubbed at the magical snake tattoo that was still coiled around her right wrist, and she wondered if Narcissa would support and stand by her, no matter what Darkness might try to claw its way out. She thought about Harry’s scar, and couldn’t help but wonder if it was some type of last-ditch Horcrux.

"Why are you still here?" She whispered.

"Hum... 'Mione?" Narcissa asked blearily. 

"Sorry, I'm here... Hon. Go back to sleep." Hermione kissed the top of her wife’s head, amazed as it calmed her instantly and she fell right back to sleep. 

_ She must feel very safe with me like this; but then again, so do I. _ Hermione realized as she too drifted back to sleep.

* * *

**DRACO**

It was morning, and the light shining through the window was not welcomed by either occupant of the bed.

The first one finally said something to fill the bleary silence.

"We better... get back to London."

The other grunted in regretful agreement.

"Wait... What all happened?"

"Hermione and my mum ran into each other."

"Right. Yeah, but who are we here... was... why... Ugh. Words. Fail me."

"Too much words. Jager frisky nipples."

The two boys started to laugh, but quickly stopped as searing hangovers hit them both.

"Headache. Salazar's trouser snake, I need a hangover potion."

Draco sat up, slightly unsteady. He flopped back down onto the bed as he remembered his legal solicitor had gotten a room for the boys after all of the paperwork was handled and the 'celebratory drink' may have gone overboard.

"Here. Severus left us some." Harry said, sitting up in the bed and taking a swig. "Nope. Not a hangover remedy. Just more jager."

"Ugh no more of that shite." _ Was my Godfather with us last night? _ Draco wondered, he remembered that Snape brought his mum for a haircut and shopping...

"Room Service!" A witch called through the door.

Draco turns and raises his eyebrows at Harry. "Last thing either of us need is a tabloid catching us together in a hotel room."

Harry understood what he meant and sprung out of bed, pulling the Invisibility Cloak out of his pack. "Tell her to go away!"

The door opened as Harry got the cloak on and stood in a corner by the closet.

Draco leered at the room attendant, making it obvious that he didn't want her there. As she took out the trash and avoided eye contact with Draco, Harry slowly tip-toed his way around her.

Draco tried to not laugh as the witch turned and thought she felt something. He could have sworn that Harry didn't stifle his own laughter well enough.

After the room attendant vanished the refuse and replaced the towels in the lavatory, she skittered out of the room frantically, slamming the door behind her.

Conjuring two tall glasses and filling them with water, Draco handed one of them to the empty corner where Harry was standing.

"How did you know?" Harry said, pulling off his cloak and taking the water. As they both gulped it down, they realized that they were quite dehydrated.

"It's your _ Invisibility _ cloak, not a **silencing **cloak. I heard you."

Harry frowned at that, and made a mental note for the future. Draco noticed that, and decided to change the subject to cheer him up.

"By the way, letting Ginny follow her dreams in Quidditch? That was the best decision you could make."

"Even if I lose her?" He asked, dejectedly.

"Guys _ wanted _ to date her, you know. She wouldn't even think of it. Wish I had a girl as dedicated."

Harry looked at him in confusion. "But I thought you were-"

Draco swatted away the insinuation with a casual flick of his wrist. "-let's not get hooked up on labels. After a lifetime of being told whom I'd be forced to marry, I'm glad to be free now."

Harry nodded. "Who were you-"

"-Daphne. She looked at me like a Niffler looks at anything shiny.”

“Hey, it could have been Pansy.”

“Slytherin’s Snake, no! Her willingness to sell you out to… No. I couldn’t be with such a coward."

Harry stood there, stunned. "I didn't know you cared so much."

Draco sighed, feeling dirty by being this open and honest with his childhood enemy.

"I knew which side I wanted to win back when you carved me open. What you did was quick and thoughtless, painful has fuck, but _ infinitely _ more merciful than The Dark Lord ever was. And I knew it all over again when I had Albus at wand-point and was supposed to kill him. I never wanted to be a Death Eater. Even now that I know he was dying anyways, I'm still not sure I could have done it."

"You're horribly morbid, you know that?"

Draco shrugged, affecting a nonchalant attitude that Harry found oddly sexy. 

"Comes with being a Slytherin."

"You know Ginny will want to know what happened, and _ why _ we didn't come home last night." Harry said, his voice betraying his concern.

"Tell her the truth. It's the only thing she'll believe." Draco replied, casting a refreshing charm on his clothes. Harry frowned at that.

"I got piss drunk and woke up in bed with you. I doubt she'll believe 'it's all a blur' or 'nothing happened'." Harry said guiltily.

"It's really not coming back to you, is it?" Draco said, chuckling. "Well as much as I'd love to hold this over your head and tease you about it, you were the perfect gentleman. Even helped me up to the room."

Harry's sigh of relief was audible. "Thanks, man. I don't know what I'd do if I... you know..."

Draco arched an eyebrow, reminiscent of Snape. "Yes, because the thought of me is utterly repulsive..."

Harry rolled his eyes at that. "Not that, idiot. Just… I don't want to cheat. Not when everything is going good for once."

Draco frowned slightly in confusion, but nodded. He always knew he was bisexual, but _ Perfect Potter _ plays both beater and keeper in the sack? That unnerved him. "Let's get home them."

* * *

**SEVERUS**

Severus and Fleur were at the Leaky Cauldron, sharing a pint over their well-done scheme. _ It has been awhile since I got to pull something off like that, _ Severus mused, looking at the Veela before him. Even with her pale-yellow feathered wings, avian eyes, and beaky face... she was still as stunning as she ever was. 

_ Not that I'm looking at another woman since Lily. Or Tonks, for that matter. _

"You're still not ready for hunting Bellatrix." Fleur warned quietly.

“My protege Thanatos is handling the leg-work for now; they have certain resources I could only dream of.”

“Well someday I hope to meet this mysterious man, but my point remains: you aren’t ready.”

He quirked an eyebrow up at her in challenge.

"I'll prove you wrong in the Room of Requirement, Fury."

Fleur leaned back, hands raised to show she meant no harm.

"I have no doubt as to your conviction. But do you trust Kingsley to keep his word?"

"He is honorable enough; as long as I keep my side of the bargain. My concern is more for Narcissa and her family."

She nodded. "As mine is to Hermione. I heard of her passion defending the House Elves; loyalty is not wasted with her. I only hope she and Narcissa figure that out. " She took a dram of her beer in thought. "They both have to overcome their own fears and prejudices."

Severus nodded, sipping his drink.

"And accept the radical notion that they are worthy of being loved, even if others see it as unconventional." Severus replied bluntly.

They sat in the empty silence as the uttered words sank in between them. Severus knew it to be true, just not for himself. Even Fleur deserves to be loved; but for who she truly is, not just because she was magically attractive to straight men and lesbians.

"-I'll resume my training in the room of requirement."

"-I'll go check on Firenze."

The two of them said it at the same time as they paid their tabs separately and left the bar. Both wanted to be alone in their thoughts as they trudged up to the castle, side by side, but still feeling alone.

* * *

**RONALD**

Hogwarts was almost as good as he remembered, and the volunteers were thanked for their work as they all began to pack up and get back to their lives. Ronald felt uncertain about where to go now, so he found himself at Hagrid’s Hut by the edge of the Forbidden Forest, his mind flooded with memories of the final battle. 

The world had gone mad, it seemed. The good guys won, but the winning blow came from Death Eaters. _ Bloody Snape was a hero. _ Narcissa lied to You-Know-Who in order to protect Harry. Draco and Hermione stood together as they cast the killing curse at him. Even Neville killed Nagini with the sword... 

_ Where's my glory? _ He mused, thinking that at long last he’d be heralded as a hero in his own right, instead of just the sidekick to The Boy Who Lived.

"Ron? Your sister Ginny is looking for you." Lavender said, shielding her marred face with her hair. Ron tried his best not to stare, as she had survived Greyback’s attack but was infected with lycanthropy.

"Yeah, okay." He responded, distractedly. 

_ The woman I love is “married” to that evil dyke bitch, and I have to act like it’s okay. _

"So what are you going to do now?" She asked, hoping to begin a conversation.

"Help run my brother's joke shop." He replied automatically. "I'm done fighting for now. Too many scars." He turned to face her, shame reddening his face. "Uh, sorry, poor choice of word-"

"-I know what you mean."

"Hey, question: will you transform next full moon?" Ron asked, curious. Bill never really mentioned what happened, but then again, he never really turned, did he?

"No idea yet. There's an unbreakable silver cage in the Ministry's magical animal regulation department that's being offered to me to find out. I… would really like it if I had a friend there."

"But if you change, won't you uh, lose your clothes?" Ron said, worried. Lavender shrugged it off.

"Nothing you haven't already seen before." She said, enjoying Ron’s reaction.

"I guess that's fine, but… you have to come to the ball with me." Ron grinned, hoping she understood he was being playful about it. Flirting with his ex was something that felt almost natural, and he was willing to embrace any semblance of normalcy.

"Sure, I'd love to."

"Great, I'll... meet you there."

* * *

**HERMIONE**

Getting ready in the morning and doing our makeup in front of a large mirror proved to be a taxing yet educational experience for the Gryffindor. At Hogwarts, she would just get up earlier so she could be done and read while the other girls fought over the sink space and gossiped.

With Narcissa, it was a delicate dance of 'pardon me' and 'I need the sink' and 'that spot has the better lighting for makeup charms'. It would have been annoying to the brunette if not for the silky sleepwear that clung to her hips and bum.

_ I am incurably gay _ , Hermione thought to herself, _ or else Cissy’s arse is hypnotic. _

"A lady does not ogle another lady's derriere during morning ablutions, Hermione." Narcissa said, smirking.

"Pretty certain I'm allowed as your wife." She replied, playfully swatting her wife’s bum. Cissy pouted at that, bending over a bit more for show, shifting her weight from foot to foot to wiggle slightly.

"If you're going to do that, at least put some honest effort in." 

The Gryffindor stood behind the Slytherin, grabbing her wife’s waist with possessive need. Narcissa gasped as she rocked back into the embrace, head thrown back in delight. Hermione’s lips grazed over the edge of her wife’s ear, seeing Cissy shudder and bite her lip in utter desire.

"Do you mean that, Cissy? I've been having some Dark fantasies of having you, controlling you, and administering you some... discipline..." She cradled the Slytherin’s bum as her fingertips slid inward and circled over her most sensitive spot.

"Merlin, yes, please!" She replied in supplication.

"You need to be _ taken, _ need to be **needed,** don't you?" Hermione asked, her voice dropping to a throaty, seductive tone.

"...yes..." She gasped, surrendering herself as the Gryffindor charmed the silk off of her wife’s body.

"Then say it. Ask. BEG." Hermione commanded, firmly yet sweetly.

"Take me, 'Mione. Please."

* * *

**ANDROMEDA**

Andi was feeding Teddy as the door swung open, a spell silencing the slam as it opened. She smiled, grateful to the hour of reprieve she'd get now that Harry was back.

Except it wasn't Harry.

Ginny called out, "Harry! Where the bloody hell have you been?!" She asked, only remembering a moment later to lower her voice.

Teddy cried out loud from the outburst, and Andi was too late to cast a calming charm. "Ginny, keep it down!"

Ginny came into the kitchen, and frowned sheepishly. "Sorry, I just… Harry was supposed to meet me before the Ball tonight. You have any idea where he might be?"

Andi nodded, curiously. "Yeah. He took Draco to Paris, something about cleaning up and looking all proper for… uh, you…" She frowned at that. "I think that was supposed to be a surprise. But he was supposed to be back last night so I could arrange a sitter and accept Nymphadora's Order of Merlin tonight."

Andi wished she had a clock like Molly did. The two women faced each other, both worried and without any way to solve their dilemmas. "Shall I make a cuppa?" Ginny offered as Teddy's plaintive shriek hit the air and the grandmother went back to feeding him.

Ginny tried for a conversational tone. "So... how long do you think you and Teddy will be here for?"

Andromeda winced at that; it wasn’t like she could keep a job while hiding out during the war. "Well, see… Harry said that he absolutely hated being alone, and always wanted a family like yours. In fact, he asked me and Teddy to move in so he had someone to come home to."

"Oh. I see." Ginny seemed to frown at that.

"I mean, losing my husband and my home in one fell swoop was horrific; I've missed work and couldn't explain, 'oh, you see, secret war's been going on and all...'. I can try to find work in the magical world again, save up enough to get a flat somewhere for me and my grandson, but I need someone magical to baby-sit him."

The water was boiling as Ginny found some fruit-flavored teabags, glad to have her hands busy. Ginny winced at that. "I understand. I guess I was hoping for there to be time for just me and Harry to be-"

Harry entered, giving a jovial greeting, and was greeted by two very cross-looking witches. "Oh, bugger."

* * *

**KINGSLEY**

Kingsley was faced with running the entire Ministry, and was glad to at least have a select crew of Ministry Agents he could trust to spearhead problems he was facing: Nemesis was going after the rogue Death Eaters with Fury, Persephone was winding her way through the Pureblood ranks to find any aspiring Dark Lords, and Harry was helping maintain the calm as the Head Auror. He didn’t know who Thanatos was, but trusted Nemesis enough to keep that ace in the hole if needed, particularly since most of his actions during the war were lethal and wouldn’t be as permitted under the current directives of the International Confederation of Wizards and Witches (INTERCON). The use of code names to protect their identities was originally Thanatos’ idea, something Severus defended and enacted a jinx to keep their true names separated within the confines of the Ministry.

Hades, however, was a loose cannon and the one he worried about the most. She had done the impossible; killing the Dark Lord, inheriting the Elder Wand, and dual wielding wands at the Battle of Hogwarts. Her control over the Dark Magic within it, however, was uncertain.

_ Herm… _

The Minister yawned, forgetting his train of thought instantly.

_ Hades is at Hogwarts, where Nemesis, Fury, and Persephone will be in case there’s any Dark Magic flare-ups. _The thought comforted him as he continued to go through the rest of the reports. Thanatos had sightings that the goblins were acting unusual, muggle-borns were still in hiding, despite Persephone’s reports that the short list of the Pureblood families that were outspoken supporters of the Muggleborn Registration Act have been quiet as if in shock that the end result was a fast-track to have them all given the Dementor’s Kiss.

What really unsettled him, however, was that the Ministry would be running a deficit due to misappropriation of funds and the egress of taxpaying Wizards. They would need to raise taxes, get their citizens to repatriate, or make massive pay cuts across the board. The Wizengamot was attempting to seize the assets of all the Death Eaters to pay for the war, but that was going to get tied up with the Goblins who run Gringotts.

"I need a good story in the Daily Prophet..." He muttered to himself as he looked over the preparations for the Awards Banquet and Ball. Hit-Wizards would provide security, hoping to collect bounties on rogue Death Eaters who may crash the party, another expense that the Ministry couldn’t afford.

_ It can’t all be bad news, _ Kingsley thought to himself as he hoped the media coverage would recover the Ministry’s reputation

As if his prayers were answered, Percy Weasley approached him with an advance copy of the Daily Prophet. He still doesn't know if he can trust the boy or if he's simply a ladder-climber like Umbridge, willing to side with anyone and go back and say none of the bad stuff was her fault.

"You... you're not going to like what Rita's done now."

* * *

##  **Sapphic Scandal: Honest Accident or Granger's Greed for Galleons?**

### Exclusive Expose by Rita Skeeter

Now that You-Know-Who was back-stabbed by his own followers, we are all expected to be grateful to the former brains of the supposed 'Golden Trio', sidekick of 'The Chosen One'. (For more, see my article 'Harry Potter: Disturbed and Dangerous!' Daily Prophet, 1994, and 'The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore', in bookstores now.) I know that I was quite concerned seeing that manipulative little girl flanked by Narcissa and Draco as they cut down an admittedly bad man. But would I, Rita Skeeter, just parrot whatever story she would convince the Minister to disseminate? Of course not, dear reader.

So we have to ask ourselves, do we really know the true story behind Hermione Granger? In 1994, I reported on her two-timing the famous and wealthy Harry Potter with none other than hunky Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum. (see my article 'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache', Daily Prophet, 1994) It should come as no surprise that the muggle-born witch had her eyes set on fame, but could it be that she had eyes for their fortune instead?

It is now being reported that, in the midst of the war against You-Know-Who, that Hermione Granger found herself 'married' to none other than Narcissa Malfoy! Currently, there are no laws banning so-called 'marriages' between members of the same sex, so this is an issue that must be taken up by the Wizengamot.

Now I'm sure, gentle readers, you are wondering how such an immoral union could have taken place, much less with a servant of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, under his own proverbial nose? You see, the conniving Miss Granger took it upon herself to twist Pureblood Traditions in order to secure herself a spot among the Death Eaters' ranks.

The circumstances surrounding Lucius Malfoy's mysterious death had been covered up for quite sometime but today, I am able to report to you that he was killed, in his own home, by none other than Hermione Granger! The reports are sketchy as to how such an encounter could have happened, but I have it on good authority that she she hit him unawares just like how she physically assaulted Draco Malfoy back in early 1994. (Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore quashed any formal investigation so charges couldn't be brought up against her. This seems to be a pattern with the girl; escalating the types of crimes she gets away with, but I'm getting ahead of myself.)

Now, whether or not you thought Lucius was a shining example of what a devoted, Pureblooded husband and father should be, he donated to many decent charities in his lifetime and was exonerated from his actions in the first Wizarding War due to being under the Imperious Curse.

That didn't seem to change Miss Granger's mind, who was as biased and prejudiced as Harry Potter, if not more so. Upon interviewing former classmates about the unnatural nuptials, Lavender Brown said "She never looked done-up when in class, I wouldn't be surprised if she were a [CENSORED BY MINISTRY]".

Hermione also has had an unusual affinity towards using Dark Magic, and even argued with Hogwarts Faculty about the usefulness of using curses. "She liked proving how clever she was," said Marietta Edgecombe, "and used to argue for actually using Dark Magic in Umbridge's class." It is rumored that Hermione Granger is responsible for the permanent disfigurement curse on Marietta, who refuses to speak at all about what happened to her face.

None of her friends seem concerned about her power-hungry ways, however. Fellow Gryffindor Padma Patil had this to say, "I guess it doesn't really matter if she's with a woman; it's not like they can reproduce and make more of their kind."

But the best quote, of course, I saved for last. What does the woman, trapped in this life-ling Bonding against her own will to the very woman who murdered her husband, have to say about Hermione Granger?

"I will see this mudblood rot in Azkaban if it's the last thing I do."

* * *

**PANSY**

Pansy was wearing the same dress robes she wore to the Yule Ball in the previous year, transfigured to silver and a bit more daring neckline than Severus would have approved for Hogwarts. She smiled congenitally to Draco, who offered her his arm to escort her into the Awards Banquet.

“My, don’t you look sharp,” she cooed, batting her eyelashes playfully, “who’s the bloke you’re trying to impress?”

Years ago they had crushes on each other, but learned that it was more of a familial affection as they both were the only children in a Pureblood marriage. During the final years at Hogwarts, she was happy to play as his beard to avoid suspicion at events.

Draco sighed, knowing that he couldn’t hide behind his usual ‘Malfoy Sneer’ mask.

“The reporters and the media. My mums are going to get all of the stink-eye and I intend to hold my head up high and proud of them.”

Her lips pressed firm to avoid arching an eyebrow up in surprise. _ That’s a Severus thing, isn’t it? _

“Your _ mothers? _ I knew they were bonded to each other, but you’re actually respecting Granger as the new step-mum?”

He tilted his head down slightly, lowering his voice.

“She killed Blaise to save me. Despite everything mum- my birth mum- did to protect me, I can see Thestrals now.”

Pansy understood what that meant, the marker of the loss of childhood innocence. It was an unofficial rite of passage for Slytherin students, something that must have started during The Dark Lord’s first reign. As the pair found a seat behind the reserved rows for those being awarded the Order of Merlin.

**“Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt and Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall”**

Draco’s head spun around, looking way too eager to see the next pair announced.

Pansy sighed and rolled her eyes as Severus’ insight filled in the gaps.

“Oh you’re crushing on the _ Golden Boy? _ You do seem to go for the straight ones…”

Draco jutted his chin out defiantly, Malfoy Mask in place.

“If you must know, I fancy the _ Weasley girl _. Not all of us are gay.”

“I'm not your mum; I can tell when you're fibbing. Besides, we’re both bisexual. You’d do better to find someone who isn’t set to be engaged, judging from all the gossip rags.”

**“Chief Mugwump Tiberius Ogden and Commissioner Delores Jane Umbridge”**

Pansy’s ears perked up at that.

“How is that stain on House Slytherin still in power?” She asked Draco.

“Claimed the Imperius Curse and shifted the Muggle-Born Registration Commission to the Commission to Understand Negative Trendlines.”

Pansy chortled at that. “The Commission to Understand-”

“-Ogden named it himself; I daresay it’s his petty revenge.”

Pansy’s humor evaporated at that.

“Being purposefully petty isn’t a good start for this new Ministry. What’s C.U.N.T. about, though?”

Draco’s lips pursed as if tasting something disgusting. “It’s to study the increase in squib births within the Pureblood population. We fought a war to stop the Pureblood extremists, and the propaganda they were beating like a dead horse is now an officially sanctioned commission.”

“They can’t accept inbreeding as the problem, not with their supposed ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’.” Pansy looked past the Pink Menace and saw the tell-tale shock of red hair. “Oh, I see your girlfriend - I mean, betrothed man-crush and his intended.”

Draco rolled his eyes but turned to look all the same.

_ Damn, _ she thought to herself, _ he’s got it bad. _


	3. The Awards Banquet

##  **HARRY**

Harry was in his Wizard-cut tuxedo, complete with a red-lined cape and a rose for his girlfriend Ginny. Hermione was biting back giggles as she wanted to see him with pull out a pointy white eye-mask and make a cheesy one-liner about saving a certain Moon Princess.

He looked back to Hermione, who was two couples back in the queue to enter, puzzled at the look on her face.

"You look, um, quite dashing, Harry." Hermione replied as she heard a loud voice announcing the couples entering the Banquet. Harry shook his head as Ginny kissed his cheek, confirming his friend's compliment.  _ I never knew they would actually announce us entering... _

Ron's face was pinched in anger, and Harry realized that he was pointedly ignoring Hermione since they met up outside on their way in.

**"Arthur Septimus and Molly Weasley."**

Hermione must not have noticed, "Your mother can clean up nicely, can't she, Ronald?" The brunette asked, trying to diffuse the tension from having Narcissa and Molly that close to each other moments ago.

The announcer bade them step forward, and Harry waved the guy off. "Hey, Ron, what's up?"

Ron shrugged it off, adjusting the fit to his own dress-robes. "Nothing. Let's go." Ron pulled Lavender around and had themselves announced to go in before Harry and Ginny.

**"Ronald Bilius Weasley and Lavender Brown."**

Fleur frowned, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder consolingly. "You two have fought before; this will pass."

But as Fleur tried to soothe her, Hermione seemed more upset and panicked. "What... why is he mad...?" Harry looked at her and realized she had no clue.

"Hermione, you and Ron got into a fight, right before we left for Paris." Fleur reminded her as the announcer was flustered at the delay in the announcement queue.

"What? No... I did? I..." Hermione said nervously. Narcissa's arms enveloped her wife as if it were second nature, and Harry couldn't help but be touched by it.

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, other people in the common room told me about it. You scared a lot of people, apparently. You sure you’re okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Fine." She replied, more to convince herself, pushing herself out of Narcissa's arms. "Let's go in."

Narcissa nodded, and turned to give Severus a knowing look that Harry caught. Severus nodded back once in return.

**"Um... Hermione Jean and ... Narcissa… Granger."**

"Ginny, Harry, I believe we all are going to have to sit down and have a discussion about Hermione." Severus' face was stoic yet worried.

* * *

##  **KINGSLEY**

Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt was a mess of nerves; he could handle his own when ducking behind cover in the midst of a firefight against Dark Wizards, but to give a speech? Use enough platitudes to make rival groups work together for a unified, cohesive future? Point me toward something I can defeat with magic, and I got that. Make people get along.. that's impossible.

Kingsley wondered if he would ever get the Wizarding World back together. Hit-wizards were the security tonight, after intel came in that the Goblins have gone really quiet and withdrawn from Wizarding society. Kingsley hoped that Hermione was wrong, because there would be almost no way to afford another war now.

**"Severus Snape and Fleur Isabelle Weasley."**

_ At least some things are going right, _ Kingsley thought, moving to shake Severus' hand, eyes fixed on Fleur. She was stuck in pure Veela form, something the Aurors called ‘battle mode’ or worse, ‘war form’. Yet her poise seemed relaxed instead of confrontational.

"Good to see you, Severus. You recovery is going well, I take it?" Severus nodded to him, Fleur standing stalwart and slightly intimidating at the Potion Master’s side.

_ Veelas are always like this, aren't they? _

"It is. I'll be hunting down and executing the rogue Death Eaters forthwith."

"Actually, Severus, you only need to bring them in-"

"-of course I'll  _ try  _ that. But I doubt ‘surrender peacefully’ will be the salve upon decades of hatred and Dark Magic, and I dare say I will not be losing my life or hers in the attempt." Fleur nodded once in solidarity.

**"Harry James Potter and Ginevra Molly- oh, Ginny- Weasley."**

"What? I... very well." Kingsley said, distracted as he saw Hermione Granger, reminding himself about a diplomatic communique that came through INTERCON.  _ Where had it originated from? Latvia? _

Kingsley excused himself and approached the newlywed couple, recalling the Prophet Article about to be released.  _ Merlin, they won't be happy with that... _ He fixed a smile on his face and hated how fake and forced it felt.

"Misses Granger, Hermione, good to see you two. I… need to ask you something." Narcissa nodded her own greeting and gave them a bit of privacy.

"What is it, Kingsley?" Hermione looked stunning in blue, though her eyes held wary concern.

"Who were you paired with when we rescued Harry from his aunt's house, and what kind of broom did you ride?" He asked, his hand hovering near his wand.

"You, and we rode Thestrals. Why are you asking me this?" The Minister sighed in relief, waving Percy over.

"Ah, good. Some foreign country reported that you were apparently skulking about, asking questions and whatnot. Percy, who told us that? Latvia? Or was it Sokovia?"

"Um, Romania, I believe, Sir." Percy said, pulling out a notebook and quill. "Shall I inform them that it was some sort of impostor?"

Kingsley nodded. "Someone looking for a bit of fame, yes, I'm sure. You haven't gone anywhere, have you?"

Hermione winced. "Just to Paris for this dress and a haircut."

The Minister shrugged it away. "Ah, well, you're just going to have to deal with a lot of fans trying to emulate you. We'll inform the Sokovian-

“-Romanian-” Percy interjected.

“-yes, Romanian government that it wasn't you."

* * *

##  **NARCISSA**

Narcissa and Hermione split at the party; the Slytherin saw the various open stares of shock at her as she went about greeting and soothing the other well-connected witches in the room.  _ I was just standing next to my wife, not like I was trying to snog her in public…  _ Arnie Peasegood gave her a friendly nod and went about on his security detail with the other Hit-Wizards. Narcissa noticed that it was like the war wasn’t truly over, as if there were a cold war of intrigue and reprisals that were budding on the horizon.

The Ice Queen had a quick bit of small talk with Griselda Marchbanks, and the gossip she gleaned from her was quite illuminating. Since resigning from the Wizengamot in protest of Umbridge's becoming Hogwarts' High Inquisitor, Griselda was much happier as she ran the Wizarding Exams Authority, ensuring that inflated NEWT scores weren’t awarded due to blood status.  _ Which means Tiberius Ogden’s reinstatement, complete with retroactively accounting for seniority, makes him the ranking member of the Wizengamot. _

Narcissa allowed herself a tiny smile at that, understanding that a supporter of Harry Potter and Blood Equality was running the Judicial-Legislative branch of the government alongside Kingsley as the Executive branch. The Slytherin smiled inwardly, knowing that this intel that the government would rebuild the Wizarding World would be well-received by her wife.

As the blonde turned away, she nodded a greeting to Pansy Parkinson, who was unwittingly playing the beard to her sweet son Draco. That was when a sharp grip forced her icy blue eyes to see her own wife was on the other end of the hand. 

"What are you doing?"

Cissy turned to her old habits and appropriated the ice-cold demeanor when interrogated. "I was being polite, doing my best as a Slyth-"

"You were  ** _flirting _ ** with her." Hermione hissed. 

“Who, Griselda?! Give me  _ some credit, _ I'm no grave robber; I was simply being nice and engaging in some small talk to glean inform-”

Narcissa sighed to calm herself down, and turned to go outside. "Let us not make a scene here."

Hermione lead the way as Narcissa followed astride her, keeping her hands clasped in front as an attempt to seem the proper, mild-mannered wife. As the couple made it to the courtyard, Hermione cast the Muffliato and faced her wife, rage making her face red.

"Are you going to resume  _ fucking your way  _ to control everything? No wonder Lucius was cruel and vindictive!" Narcissa had never seen her wife this livid before.  _ Severus was right, she's dealing with something alright… _ The Slytherin pondered as she formulated a verbal repartee. 

" _ Damn it _ woman, I am who I am; a snake and a viper. In fact, I spared a lot of people a lot of grief by attempting to win them over through guile and smiles than letting Lucius resort to intimidation and force. Yes, my former husband and I have blood on our hands, but I did my best to use diplomacy to avoid his use of bloodshed."

Hermione huffed at that.

"Well, I didn't like seeing how you were smiling at them; you don't flash a big toothy grin, but I could tell... I thought that smile was something  _ special _ for me!" 

"Hermione, you  **are** special to me. But if I'm smiling at them, it's because I'm  _ using them _ ."

"And how should I know that you’re not doing the exact same thing with me? Do you  _ truly _ think that comforts me?! Merlin, I should have known better. You state that you love me, yet we've only been together for barely a week!" 

Narcissa's face pinched shut, a flicker of hurt wiped out as the composed neutrality took over. Hermoine was either reading her mind with Legilimency, or the bond was deeper than she had anticipated. The Slytherin’s voice, however, betrayed the tears that would never fall now. "It’s that, is it? I… I never said that to  _ manipulate _ you." Hermione’s face said that she didn't believe her.

"Oh, I'm  _ certain _ you didn't. It's  **so obvious** to me now.” The Griffindor’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “You probably say that to every bloody girl you…  _ How can I even trust you? _ " 

Narcissa's lips pressed shut as she finally exploded. "Because in that moment, I was actually being  **completely honest** with you! Salazar's Snake, ‘Mione, it was right after some of the best lovemaking in my life! I let my mask slip and lost my mental filter for a bit, so I  _ refuse to apologize _ for saying that I love my wife!"

"Sure. Was this your ploy when you were trying to get Rita to write what you wanted? It's pathetic."

Narcissa’s arm seized and she felt a cramp form in her forearm, the Compulsion had flared up and refused to let her slap Hermione in the moment. It gave the Slytherin a moment to think; there was something vindictive in the way Hermione said that, very unlike the young woman she had first met.  _ Perhaps Severus was right _ , she mused,  _ and the Elder Wand is having an influence on her.  _ Narcissa decided to try to use reason in order to calm her, or at least de-escalate the fight.

"Gods, no... but try to be a little bit  _ pragmatic _ about this! Having the paper on your side will make so many of our objectives easier. The PR battle itself to reverse tradition is going to be difficult enough as it is, even with my connections."

"So you're doing it again, aren't you? Just going to bat your eyes and sleep your way around to power?! You… are Estella!"  _ Is she being jealous about my past, _ Narcissa wondered, noting the reference to Dickens and retorted in kind.

"Do you want me then to deceive and entrap you? Fine. I have not bestowed my tenderness anywhere. I have never had any such thing." [1]

"Very well, you claim to love me. Why do you go about like you do, then?"

"I was under the assumption we would be doing the carrot and stick routine; I'd be the diplomatic carrot, and if my attempts fail,  _ you're the stick. _ " Narcissa couldn't help but add a bit of venom to the last words, as she was getting annoyed at her wife's attacks on her character.

"I will NOT be like Lucius. I'm a Gryffindor, and I will clearly and succinctly make my case and society will opt to change because they will see that it's the right thing to do!"

Narcissa let out a short burst of bewildered laughter, mostly from shock at her wife’s pronouncement.

"Do you truly believe that the world works that way? I've thought quite a few disparaging things about you before, Hermione, but never did I think you were a naive, ignorant, little girl!" Narcissa's head felt like there was a spike driven in it, but she kept herself stoic as her fist clenched and the sensation of her fingernails biting into her palm kept her on her feet.

Kingsley stepped in, confused as to the situation between them. "Misses Gran... Hermione Granger, I forgot to mention something. Might I have a word with you, in private?"

Narcissa nodded her assent, and took the moment to stride away in repressed rage.

* * *

##  **SEVERUS**

Severus was in his best robes, as he refused to dress up beyond his usual teaching robes. The black cravat that hugged his neck was snug on his scarred neck, a reminder that he survived once again while a woman he began to love had been laid to rest.

_ Why did I ever let Nymphadora into my heart? Salazar knows the story behind the Bloody Baron's chained torment should have been enough of a warning. _ He pulled on the knot anad adjusted the cravat as Fleur stayed by his side, eyes scanning the room for any potential threat. The Headmaster was impressed, as her actions calmed him somewhat and found himself grateful that ‘Fury’ would be helping him hunt down and catch Bellatrix.

When he had discussed the idea of code names to protect their identities, Fleur had suggested Nyx. Severus disagreed and chose Nemesis for himself, to be the retribution to the Death Eaters he had spied, and killed, to maintain his cover. 

Kingsley hadn’t originally liked the idea of secrecy, but understood the need for the ‘double blind’. They realized that the Order, as it had been under Albus, had died. Severus looked around the area and spotted the remnants of the rag-tag organization. Hagrid was standing in a corner, awkwardly trying to not get in anyone's way but still being just enough of a klutz to make a scene. Minerva was consoling George as Charlie tried to get his parents away from the open bar as they drunkenly and loudly argued over Arthur's fetish for muggle technology. Sev even noticed Ginny’s smuggled flask and restrained a frown at the unraveling family.

"Mother, this is not the time or the place for this..." Charlie pleaded, taking her drink away from her and handing her a glass of water.

"I thought things would be different after the war.  _ Better _ . Instead I'm married to a drunk failure who will poke at a selly-phone more than he will his own wife!" Molly sniped as Arthur walked away with a drink in his hand.

"The Muggle phone doesn't get drunk and bitch my stiffy away." Arthur muttered under his breath.

Severus actually frowned at that exchange.  _ And they have a problem with Hermione with Narcissa because it's against their so-called 'family values'? _

"Severus?" Fleur asked, her hand poised to be placed into his arm as if he were escorting her. He turned, grateful for the distraction.

"Hmm?" Severus replied, curious as to what kind of security question she'd have for him.

"There's no threat here, but as I look around, I get the feeling that I'm your bodyguard." Fleur replied, offering her arm to him in the traditional act of chivalry. 

_ Yes, because I'm going to put my waifish hand in her arm and be the chittering girl... _

Severus frowned at that. "My story was leaked by Harry Potter, and I've heard that I am now one of the  _ most eligible bachelors _ in England."

"Exactly. The witches are circling you like hungry hyenas looking at a wounded animal."

"I. Am Not. Wounded."

"We all are, Severus. They all heard what Harry said; you loved his mother all this time. How did you find the strength to move on?" Severus' eyes met Fleur's, and he saw the pain reflected there. She needed to understand. She needed to know.

"It was difficult, and I lived with a purpose until someone else came and cracked my cold, sodding heart open again. Now I just live for vengeance."

Fleur's eyes went from curious to distant. "Vengeance is good enough, I guess."

* * *

##  **HARRY**

Harry beamed as he had Ginny on his arm, giving a knowing nod to Draco as they approached each other. Pansy made an awkward smile and excused herself as Draco went for a scandalous wink at the pair of them, which only made the Weasley girl blush harder.

"Told you that you'd look good in those robes, Harry." Draco said, and Harry wasn't entirely certain if the Slytherin was or wasn't flirting. Ginny nodded, cheeks as red as her hair.

"Draco, thank you for dressing him. I can't wait to take him home and tear them off of him." Ginny said, giving smoldering eyes to her boyfriend. At this, Harry felt entirely overwhelmed and knew that he would be utterly hers.

"Well, Ginny, tonight I'll put out there the shortest one you've ever seen." Harry's reply was supposed to be seductive, but he scrunched his face at the poor wording. "A short speech, I mean. Not that… yeah."

Draco and Ginny shared a good laugh together, and Harry had enough of a good sense of humor to laugh at it too. "Trust me, 'Chosen One', I'm certain your wand is more than adequate. I used to shower with a quidditch team… it was like they were all smuggling twigs."

Ginny giggled at the exchange. "So you two got too pissed to come home last night? Here I was worried you were tarting around with some trollop."

"No way, Gin. You're the only Witch for me. Even Draco wasn't looking at another girl." Harry said, kissing her gently. Ginny put her arm around Draco as she beamed at him.

"Warn a girl next time you two stay out." Ginny play-scolded at Draco, which made him roll his eyes at her.

"Yes, Misses Weasley." Draco teased back, making a show of kissing the girl's forehead.

"Oi. She's soon to be Misses Potter..." Harry said, smirking as he pulled Ginny back from Draco.

"The next Mr. Weasley seems to not get it." Draco said, lifting a glass of champagne from a house elf walking by.

"True, he's slow, but means well." Ginny playfully replied as they laughed together.

"You two really did learn to get along, didn't you?" Harry said, beaming at them both. They shrugged it off as Andi came back with a butterbeer for herself and Ginny.

"Draco, have you seen you mother? I heard she and Hermione had come in..." Andi said as an angry Narcissa strode back in from the courtyard. "Ah, nevermind."

"I don't get it, why are they staying together if they keep fighting?" Ginny asked the group.

"It's not all fighting; they get along perfectly most of the time. They just don't see eye-to-eye in the more…  _ delicate… _ matters." Draco replied. 

Harry shook his head at that. 

“Oh, I wish I could obliviate myself now.”

Draco looked at The Chosen One incredulously.

“Politics. How to handle social situations. That kind of thing.”

"Oh. Otherwise, she's not hurting 'Mione, is she?" Harry asked, concernedly.

"More like they are both hurting themselves at this point,”Andi said, clinking her butterbeer with the redhead, “They are both bloody stubborn."

* * *

##  **HERMIONE**

Hermione was livid; she couldn't believe that Narcissa couldn't understand her at all, and somehow still wanted to parade about and leave her as some sort of hen-pecked husband. 

_ I bloody agreed to defend my wife and family,  _ she fumed,  _ and she repays me like this?! _

"Hermione, did you hear me?"

"Yes!" She spat, lying to Kingsley Shacklebolt’s face. He frowned, unconvinced. "Um, no. Sorry."

"Marital spat? We might not be able to undo the Compulsion, but we can legally recognize a dissolution between you two so you're not seen as legally nor socially responsible for her." His baritone voice was attempting to be comforting.

"Not legally responsible? What? She meant well during the war,  _ was actually under duress, _ and I refuse to abandon her to go to Azkaban for… honestly, just trying to survive and protect her son! I just wish she could… not be so… bloody frustrating." She replied, keeping her teeth from clenching.

"You sound like nearly every other married couple I know." He said, curiously, glancing over to the row between the Weasleys. “Well, almost.”

"Is there  _ really _ any difference?" she snapped back, realizing how she had lost control of her anger.

"Actually, about someone  _ meaning _ well... that's what I came to tell you about. The recipients of the Order of Merlin are to be seated at the front and-"

"-I know where to sit in a crowd. Reading is a skill I  _ may have picked up _ from time to time." she gestured to the reserved seating sign, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I will need to you comport yourself with the utmost sense of civility. Rita Skeeter-"

"-what about that insufferable little insect?!" Her jaw was set as rage poured through veins, urging her to take hold of her wand. A shiver ran through her at that, as Hermione’s hands rubbed her own arms to create a bit of warmth as her fingernails dug in and found purchase.

"Okay, Hermione. I know you two had a spat in the past with her articles, but the eyes of the world will be here tonight as you both will be awarded the Order of Mer-"

"-SHE IS GETTING WHAT?!" She screamed, eyes streaming with angry tears. Wizards around them started to look, but thankfully the tell-tale buzz of Severus’ muffliato had been enacted. "She went around trying to ruin my life and the lives of my friends as an unregistered animagus, and she's getting an Order of FUCKING MERLIN?!"

"She came into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with proof that she was helping Thanatos, using her unregistered beetle form to help spy and overthrow Voldemort since 1979-"

"-And we're just going to pardon all of her past crimes just like that?"

Minister Shacklebolt sighed in defeat.

"She made a deal. And honestly, we can't charge her with that while ignoring all the hexes, curses, and  **Unforgivables** that you and your friends used when not directly in self-defense."

"We were fighting a war!"  _ How dare he blame us for trying to survive! _

"You were caught using the confundus charm when shoplifting in a muggle grocer. And Harry used the Imperious Curse to break into Gringott’s."

"Well I couldn't just walk into Gringott's and ask to get money from my vault!" Kingsley's face contorted in annoyance.

"Don't even bring up the Goblin bank! As of tonight, they are closing their doors. Deliberately to instill panic with the Wizarding populace and give themselves a bargaining chip, I gather."

"Wait, they're doing what?"

"Closing the bank. They say it's to expedite the repairs, but they are refusing entry to all but their own kind."

"And you'll allow them to do this?" She asked, conflicted between loyalty to inter-species cooperation and wrecking the economy.

"I don't exactly have dominion over them, Hermione! Besides, they are demanding we pay for the loss of their Dragon as well all damages done by 'wizard trickery', and have demanded your head on a pike.  **Literally.** "

"That's barbaric! They should never have imprisoned and tortured-"

"-I agree with you, Hermione, but they don't see things the same way we do. You left with the dragon, so they think you stole it. They dare not blame Harry Potter and they are scared of the Veela as well, but since you withdrew the billions of what was Malfoy’s Galleons out of a Goblin-controlled bank..." The Minister shrugged, letting the thought explain itself.

"The Goblins are going to start another rebellion, Kingsley. Which kind of puts my drama with Rita in perspective." She sighed, unhappy with it. "I'll be civil."

"Just for tonight; we will deal with the Goblins tomorrow." Kingsley nodded and departed, as Hermione gathered her thoughts and went back inside.

* * *

##  **DRACO**

As the night progressed into the more formal event, Draco escorted Ginny to the front row of non-recipients as Harry went ahead.

"Splitting me up from my boys. I'll be applauding the loudest, my love." Ginny said, kissing Harry's cheek and letting Draco lead her to their seats.

Draco quietly fumed until they were seated, and he took her hand in his, demanding eye contact. "Miss Weasley, I do not now nor will I ever  _ belong _ to you. Is that clear?" There was a hint of panic in her eyes, and Draco kept the stoic expression in order to drive the point home.

"Yes." Ginny's eyes watered as she said it. 

"Merlin, I can smell the alcohol on your breath. Didn't you learn any sense of propriety growing up?"

Draco let go of her hand and pulled out his monogrammed handkerchief for her. 

"Sorry, Draco." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I just get nervous having to dress up and be all girly, with all these strangers' eyes on me, judging me by my appearance." 

_ Oh bugger, _ Draco realized,  _ why am I being such an arse to her? Do I need to see her gutted or something? _

"Dry your eyes, love. I'm sorry I got short with you. After getting marked and groveling to The Dark Lord, I don't want to be anyone's property. And so you know, you are truly a vision of beauty tonight." Ginny sniffled at that.

"You think so?" The Slytherin wondered if she were so blind to her own beauty, or just fishing for a compliment? Draco decided that her being the only girl in a family of boys might have something to do with it.

"I wouldn't say it otherwise."

"You're just saying that to appease me." Ginny dismissed his compliment entirely, but handed over her flask. "I shouldn't have this right now."

Draco took it and slipped it into his jacket. "No, you shouldn’t. Also, I ought to put you over my knee until you do believe me that I think you are quite attractive. I'm certain the red colouring on your cheeks would do you some good." He clenched his jaw at his honesty. 

_ First I sound like a prat and now I'm flirting with her and suggesting she needs a spanking, _ Draco mused darkly. _ I ought to just down some Veritaserum, recite some sonnets like a tosser, and call it a day. _

Ginny giggled a bit at that. "Promises, promises, Mister Malfoy. Here I thought you fancied my boyfriend all this time." 

_ Bollocks... did she mean what I think she meant,  _ Draco wondered. He put a 'devil-may-care' look on his face and played it down.

"There’s no law against appreciating both sexes."

Ginny leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Have you ever..."

The Slytherin raised his hand dismissively.

"Ugh. No. I don't kiss and tell. Nor do I shag and tell." She smirked as if she figured something out.

"Words of a virgin."

"I'll have you know I've done things with both wizards and witches..." Draco's eyes met hers, and through sheer force of will, made her smirk disappear. "...at the same time." Her jaw hit the floor and Draco smirked at that.

"Oh, I've left you speechless. I like you better this way."

* * *

##  **FLEUR**

Fleur and Severus were in the middle of a crowd, yet they both were utterly alone together.  _ Vengeance is all I can live for now,  _ the Veela fumed, _ So be it. _

Narcissa approached the pair and Severus' eyes locked onto something as his stance changed. He shifted his weight, scanning the room for threats as he looked to be ready to defend her. 

"Cissy, are you okay?" Snape’s baritone betrayed emotion with the use of her family’s nickname. As Fleur witnessed the exchange, she realized that Narcissa seemed as pale and furious as a Veela in their ‘War Form’, and that Severus did indeed still have a heart under all of those black, billowing robes.

"Hermione called me Estella.  _ I'm not hollow. _ I've been made hard, yes, but it was to survive Lucius and Pureblood society." Narcissa's fingers came away from her ear, tinged red with blood. "I  _ may have _ lost my temper and insulted her."

Severus’ lips pursed as he flicked his wand and cleaned up the offending blood. "Let's not have you drip and leave bits of yourself for others to find and use against you in targeting spells. Remember, your wife is a Gryffindor and she will fight everything to the bitter end; your tactics, your bond, even your admission of feelings."

Narcissa's cheeks reddened. "How did you know?"

Severus replied with a shrug. "I didn't. It was an intuitive leap, judging from what I could hear from you two over the  _ latest row _ between Molly and Arthur. I honestly cannot fathom why they are still together; Molly was happier just before the war fully broke out because Arthur was finally reassigned away from muggle stuff."

Narcissa fumed at the mention of them.

"I could care less about them, but they have hated me ever since they caught me  _ in flagrante delicto _ with a Gryffindor witch back at Hogwarts."

"I know, but look,” Severus replied, “she's over there with your sister. Keep a civil tone and talk it out, Cissy. Fleur and I can find our seats on our own." With that, he took the Veela's proffered arm and let her lead them to their seats.

* * *

##  **HARRY**

Harry was a nervous wreck, craning his neck around looking for any of his friends for moral support. Hermione hadn’t sat down yet, and Ginny and Draco were apparently joking about something.  _ I'm glad they don't hate each other,  _ Harry thought,  _ now if only Hermione and Ron can get over whatever row they are having now. _ He had always assumed that his two best friends would become a couple and it would eventually end in a messy breakup or divorce. He knew that Ron would want a girl to grow up and be just like his mother, and that's the kind of woman Hermione would never be.

As if his thoughts summoned him, Ron plopped down next to him in the row of chairs, seemingly teeming with nervous energy from his bouncing knee. "You think this will be some long-winded speech? I mean, it's Kingsley, so I doubt he'll be as boring as Fudge was."

Harry shrugged, unsure of what to expect. "As a Minister and my boss, he's pretty down-to-earth."

Severus sat down next to Ronald. "He's also under scrutiny of the entire magical world. He's going to have to sound like he's in charge and not just making this up as he goes along."

"So I'll never be Minister of Magic..." Ron joked nervously as Harry and Severus frowned.

"Harry, I take it you're the de-facto leader of the Auror Guild?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, well, it's supposed to be Proudfoot-"

"-consider Proudfoot compromised. He should have come in by now, or at least have been reported as dead." Severus cut in, his wand-hand scratching his left forearm. "Bloody Mark hasn't faded at all." 

_ I can't just assume an Auror is now a bad guy! _ Harry mentally chided himself as he looked over to Draco. "Draco said the same thing about his mark. You really think that-" 

Ronald perked up.

"Oi. What's with you and Malfoy being all close now? He your new mate?"

"We get along is all. He's also our best friend's...  _ step-son _ ." That really didn’t sound right to say out loud; not even twenty and one of the Golden Trio has a  _ step-son. _

"Yeah, we lose Hermione at his place and now she's all shacked up with that tart? Dodgy, if you ask me." Ron's face sneered in disgust.

"And that is  _ precisely why _ , Mister Weasley, nobody asked you." Severus replied, his tone ending the conversation.

The blonde witch who sat next to Severus couldn't keep the malevolent glint out of her eye as she looked over the wizards seated, quick quotes quill almost shivering in anticipatoin. "Oh, I do believe I need to break up this... oh, what's the opposite of a hen party?" Rita Skeeter said, voice dripping with sarcastic seduction. 

Harry’s eyes crinkled slightly in discomfort as Severus shook his head ever so slightly to warn him to stay silent.

"Stag Party." Ron answered, pleased with himself. Harry could have sworn he saw Severus clench his jaw in frustration.  _ Severus is doing his best to not get involved, isn't he? _

"Very good, little ginger. Now, quit answering the rhetorical questions and let me speak with the  _ big boys. _ " Rita replied as if to a stupid child, her quill and paper already taking notes.

"Severus, is it really true that the only reason you risked it all for oh so many years was for the unrequited, borderline  _ creepy obsession _ you had with Lily Potter?" She asked, her quill was already scratching away though no reply was forthcoming.

"Did you not have any other friends growing up, so you clinged to her in some sort of twisted idea of what love is? What about your other friend made at Hogwarts, the very man whom Harry's best friend killed in cold blood to steal his wife? How does it feel to have to stand up on that stage and be honored alongside the Gold-Digging Gryffindor?"

Harry wasn't about to take any more of this. "Isn't there some Press Box...  _ or jar... _ you should be in? These seats are reserved."

"Oh, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. My next book detailing my heroics as Thanatos will definitely outsell anything you could ever put to paper."

Severus turned to look at Rita, and the look in his eyes left the reporter silent and fearful.

"Retribution will find you." With that, he turned back to Harry and put a finger to his lips as a warning to them both.

* * *

##  **ANDROMEDA**

Andromeda was having a bittersweet moment as she caught up with her sister Narcissa, glad to have a sibling back while still mourning the loss of her own husband and daughter. Andi never really knew Remus Lupin, outside of being the constant source of heartache for her Nymphadora until he finally relented and married her. For being a Gryffindor, she was shocked that he ran away from being a father, and even more surprised at the tenacity of Nymphadora to show loyalty to the man who abandoned her.

_ Still, I have a grandson and family to help raise him. _ She thought sadly, grateful for Harry's generosity.

"I am glad you found a sitter for Teddy tonight; I wasn't sure if we ever would have met under different circumstances." Narcissa said, feeling a weight being lifted from her.

"I knew you weren't happy with Lucius for a long time, but neither of us were in a position to be able to see each other. You would have liked Ted." Andi held back tears as she said that.

"I kept track of Nymphadora, and was secretly proud to see her as an Auror. If only I-" Cissy looked on the verge of tears.

"-oh hush, you know I forgive you. You wanted to keep the peace and make our parents happy. I rebelled and eloped, so of course they came down harder on you when it came out that you fancied women."

Narcissa nodded at that, the corners of her mouth curling down.

"Yeah, now if only I could make this marriage work with Hermione. She… doesn't get what it was like to be raised in a Slytherin household."

"Nobody should have been raised like that; we merely  _ survived _ it.” 

Narcissa nodded as the siblings finally trauma-bonded. “Bellatrix didn't.”

Andi nodded sadly. “No, she was lost long ago. What’s happening with Hermione?”

"Oh, I just…” Narcissa sighed. “Andi, I told her I loved her."

"And?" 

Narcissa looked confused as she shook her head minutely.

"What did she say, Cissy?"

"Oh, I fell asleep. I was really out of it because of what we had been doing… but I meant it. And now she thinks I'm just some sort of scarlet woman; one she cannot trust." A sullen Hermione was coming over, and Andi had to think quickly to change the subject.

"I have to say, Cissy, you would  _ absolutely love _ what Harry has done to Aunt Walburga's home. It is positively radiant now; you'd be amazed what a bit of wallpaper and brighter lighting does for the place! In fact, Teddy's playroom…" Andi glanced over to her new sister-in-law, and acted pleasantly surprised, "Hermione, I was just telling my sister about Grimmauld Place. Harry's been like a godsend to us, helping me raise my grandchild. Have you two thought about having or adopting children yourself?"

_ Nailed it, _ Andi thought as she saw both of them utterly gobsmacked,  _ now they'll have to talk this out. _

"Um, well, I'm pretty old to have children now..." Narcissa frowned.

"And I'm not ready for that myself..." Hermione added.

"Oh. Well at least you both agree on that point. I see an open seat by Severus, so I'll just go and leave you two be. I'll see you both later, okay?" Andi assured, stepping away and giving the couple some privacy.

* * *

##  **HERMIONE**

Hermione wasn't certain exactly what she had walked in on, but Andi seemed quite excited about her new living arrangement and asked if Narcissa and her would have children. Hermoine had always liked the idea of having two children, but… just not so soon.

As Andi walked away, Hermione was left alone with her wife, who looked absolutely stunning in a backless gown, leaving the Gryffindor utterly discombobulated between the anger and hatred that seemed to be just under the surface all the time now, and an overwhelming desire to just slam her wife against the nearest wall and claim her with passionate kisses. 

_ She ought to have a ring, a token on her, to show the world she's mine, _ Hermione mused, cutting through the conflicting emotions,  _ just to keep the other witches off of her. _

"Hermione, I want you to know I'm going to prove my fidelity to you; but please understand that I know how to be gregarious and to glean what appears to be extraneous details and... well, interpret that which others clearly overlook.”

Hermione blinked a few times, mentally catching up with what Narcissa had been saying.

“I am sorry that I made you jealous, because I..." the Slytherin took an uncharacteristically shaky breath, "I do love you." As their eyes met, their bodies were both demanding that they agree and kiss, to learn and understand their differences...  _ Merlin, why is this so hard? _

"Cissy, I'm still getting used to us being married, so seeing my wife talk to other people... Okay, I realize I was being unnecessarily jealous.” Hermione took a breath to formulate her next sentence. “I... I'm sorry for blowing up like that. I don't really know what kind of relationship you had with Lucius, but I'm not him, and I don't want to see you cavort with others." She said, apologizing at the end.

"Well, I did find out that the ranking member on the Wizengamot is pro-Muggleborn, and was a strong supporter of Albus. Most of the old guard that believed in Pureblood Supremacy are dead or are appalled at the devastation that The Dark Lord did in the name of their cause."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "Oh, okay. So you weren't  _ actually  _ trying to..."  _ Get with her? Merlin, what's the proper term for that? _

Narcissa shook her head, smiling slightly. Her eyes wrinkled ever so slightly by her eyes, and Hermione couldn't help but find it endearing.

"She is  _ tolerable _ , but not handsome enough to tempt me, and I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." [2]

"That's Darcy." Hermione replied, stifling a smile.

The corner of Narcissa’s lip curled at that.

"I wanted to tease you a little to make you less sad: I thought anger would be better than grief. But if you wish me to love you, could you but see how much I DO love you, you would be proud and content. All my heart is yours, sir: it belongs to you; and with you it would remain, were fate to exile the rest of me from your presence for ever." [3]

Hermione couldn't help but smile at that. "You really like your regency era fics, don't you?" Narcissa smiled, and she saw the difference in her wife’s eyes. This was a smile just for Hermione, just under the Ice Queen exterior... 

_ Compulsion be damned,  _ she thought, _ I do like this woman! _ Hermione tilted her head to give her wife a chaste kiss, fingers resting on the small of her back. It was scandalously exposed, and the gentle brush of her fingertips against the buttery soft skin reminded the Gryffindor how much she wanted to run her tongue all up and down her wife’s flesh...  _ Okay, more than just 'like', I definitely lust after Cissy's… _ The gaze of cerulean blue eyes met brown eyes and pulled Hermione back into reality.

"Yes Hermione, I do enjoy that genre. Now you go get your Order of Merlin and when we get home I'll..." Narcissa trailed off, pleasant smile melting away to expose the neutral mask that was always just under the surface. "...why is Rita sitting there?" 

Hermione huffed, not used to having her libido extinguished so quickly. 

"Somehow, Rita is being awarded an Order of Merlin as well. She's also now a registered animagus, making my little-known secret useless against her."

Narcissa’s eyebrow shifted up as if a copy of Severus.

" _ Her secret? _ Wait, what were you thinking? We should be trying to make her an asset and not an enemy!"

"An asset?” Hermione let out a bark of laughter. “Absolutely not! Cissy, I want you  ** _nowhere_ ** near Rita Skeeter! I will handle that bitch myself." Hermione couldn't help but spit that last part out.

Narcissa didn’t need occlumency to understand that there was a backstory here.

"What exactly happened between you two?"

"She ridiculed my friends and targeted me with her lies! I  _ cannot  _ respect that woman, and I'm quite disgusted at the thought that you were once her lover!"

"If you don't want me to... Fine. But, and please understand, she's my past, and I don’t ever wish to sleep with her again. But can I at least use my charm to persuade her?!"

Hermione scoffed in utter disbelief.

"Use your charm? Not bloodly likely; she doesn't exactly like me since I kept her in a jar."

"You did WHAT?!" Narcissa gasped, surprise openly visible on her face.

Hermione’s simmering anger turned tepid, and she felt sheepish at having to admit her crime.

"I… uh, kept her in a jar so she couldn't publish any more lies. I figured out that she was getting her scoops by turning into an unregistered beetle animagus."

"Hermione Jean Granger.  _ Unlawful imprisonment and blackmail. _ I'd be more impressed if it weren't a world-renowned reporter!  **What were you thinking?!** "

"She needed to quit spying on me!" She snapped, anger cresting. "And HOW DARE YOU go and slut up to her again!"

Narcissa stared back, jaw clenched in caution. "You are angry right now, and if I'm not mistaken, you're dealing with the aftershocks of Dark Magic. So I'm going to back off, and you're going to calm down and sit next to Andi and be collected and gracious." 

The Gryffindor nodded as they each went to their respective seats. Hermione began to think that Narcissa might be right; she wasn’t one to have so many outbursts.

* * *

##  **RONALD**

Ronald felt out of place, sitting between Harry and Severus. The two of them didn't seem to want the attention nor fame (not to mention the Galleons attached to the OoM Award) while he was already planning out how he'd spend the reward money. Kingsley also looked reluctant to be there, which only made him think he'd do a much better job if he were in charge.

"As the sun rose upon May the Second at Hogwarts, the War between the forces of Light and Darkness came to a conclusion as Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka 'Voldemort', was killed. Most of the Death Eaters were summarily captured and are currently being detained at Azkaban, awaiting trial for their crimes against fellow Wizards and Witches.

"Any Death Eaters or other rebellious factions who are still at large are no longer under any protection of the ancient laws of war, and will not be given any quarter as they will be hunted down by Ministry-appointed specialists. They may turn themselves in peacefully for trial and will be spared from the Dementor's Kiss. Thus, the war begun by Voldemort has come to an end.

"Today we shall now look to ourselves, for in our recent struggle to overcome the Dark, there have been beacons of light that shone a path through the strangling fear and division. Many of them were unfortunately extinguished, but here we stand, ready to acknowledge their sacrifice for the good of all.

"The Order of Merlin, First Class is hereby posthumously bestowed upon Former Minister and Auror Rufus 'Bulldog' Scrimgeour, Auror Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, Auror Nymphadora 'Chameleon' Tonks, Auror Andrew 'Rocky' Williamson, Auror Hawkes 'Hawk-Eye' Hawlish, and Auror Selina 'Siren' Savage.

"The Order of Merlin, Second Class is hereby posthumously bestowed upon Auror John 'Steady' Dawlish, Remus Lupin, William Arthur 'Bill' Weasley, Fred Weasley, Dean Thomas, Nigel Wolpert, Leanne Runcorn, and Romilda Vane."

"Leanne was Runcorn's daughter?" Ron asked, but was met with a hissed 'shh' by someone nearby. He thought he felt a rumble nearby, but dismissed it as his stomach telling him he's hungry again.

"Your sacrifices to help us have a brighter future will not be forgotten, and we who live shall not let your efforts be in vain. As for those who have fought valiantly and are still here, The Order of Merlin, First Class is hereby…"

The rumble was there again, but most definitely under his feet. Is this what they called a dirt quake in Muggle Studies? Even Kingsley noticed it and it disrupted his speech. His eyes seemed wide as his hands brandished his wand as Severus and Fleur stood at alert. Even Harry stood up and it made Ron nervous. Would I have to fight again, be in the thick of it? His nerve was gone, and he knew it. Losing his brothers had been too much, and he needed to recover from it all.

"Peasegood! What was that? Check our perimeter, our defenses should still be up."

"They are, Minister! Nothing out there... wait... LUMOS MAXIMA! Goblins! They have wands!" At that, wandfire erupted non-stop, and one wall was pounded repeatedly as if hit with cannon balls. The floor shook again as everyone began to panic, and the wand fire's impacts were coming from all sides now.

Ron scrambled out of his chair and crouched on the floor, pulling out his wand. _ It'll never be over, will it? Just more death, more destruction, until nothing is fucking left anymore?! _ He looked around and realized most of the people around him did the same, but looked steadier than he felt.

"They surrounded us, didn't they?" Kingsley spat, leaving the podium and directing Percy to begin evacuation procedures.

"Minister, you have to come with us!" Percy argued, then looked in horror as a few poor souls attempted do disapparate, splinching themselves to pieces and one actually getting beheaded. "They put up wards! Don't apparate!"

Ron saw wizards trampling over each other as they went for the fireplaces, hoping that the Floo Network was still open. Illegal portkeys were being made without securing the landing would be muggle-free, and a few daring wizards took to the air on brooms that they must have smuggled in.

A window shattered as a semi-liquified Hit wizard went through it, the scream drowned out by the cacophony of violence that was exploding just outside the crumbling wards. Fleur's eyes were focused on the crack in the middle of the massive hall, her hands alight with fireballs at the ready.

Harry's eyes turned to the crack. And so did Severus'. And Hermione's. And everyone. Ron gulped as he summoned the courage to look at the opening chasm, as if only this would make it really happening. The floor began to give way as a wan arm pushed through and the rest of a rotting corpse stood to face the people there. Its eyes were glazed and empty, but it could see everyone. Ron's mouth was dry, and he couldn't find his voice. Or his wand. He stumbled backwards as another dead body came up from beneath them, lurching towards the living with only the need to attack and kill.

"INFERI!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] - Quotes from Great Expectations. The 2013 remake had quite a few stars from the Potter movies and I highly recommend it.  
[2] ― Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen  
[3] ― Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë


	4. The Goblin's Revolt

##  **DRACO**

Draco's pulse raced as his hands instinctively pulled his wand out, shielding himself and the people around him from flying glass and the remains of a hit wizard flew through the room, spraying a trail of red until the chunks of flesh and bone pummeled an elderly witch and knocked her over. 

_ Salazar's Snake,  _ he cursed to himself,  _ Hermione was right! _

Harry and Neville exchanged a look as they instinctively knew what to do.

"Neville! Plan D!" Harry began to take down the wards so people could Apparate out safely as the wall crumbled around them. Fleur was hovering in the air, casting severing charms to hack the animated bodies apart so they would quit advancing on the bystanders. Severus was doing the same, carefully beheading them without hitting anyone behind his target.

Neville's voice was amplified by the Sonorus charm:  **"Dumbledore's Army, on me!"** Luna, Angelina, Cormac, and Ernie turned up immediately, wands at the ready. They took up a classic firing line, making a barrier against the swarm of Inferi coming up from beneath them.

Harry's voice also was magnified as Draco fell back when the wall collapsed and more Inferi came in from the outside.  **"Hit Wizards! Fire at will; lethal magic is authorized to neutralize any Wizards behind the attack! Repeat: lethal magic is authorized!"**

_ When did Potter grow a pair? _ Draco mused, finding himself next to Minister Shaklebolt and Percy Weasley.

"Percy, you need to get the people out of here..."

"Minister,  _ you _ need to get out of here, but our defenses have us trapped inside!"

Despite Percy’s panic, Kingsley kept his calm as he surveyed the area.

"Harry is working on the defenses; you go open up the floo network, make portkeys, do whatever it takes to get them out of here!"

"But, sir!"

"Get these people  _ out _ and  _ safe! _ "

Harry looked out into the crowd, eyes landing on the Blonde Slytherin. "Draco! Take care of-"

Draco nodded automatically. "With my life. Go!" Draco saw the flash of ginger hair and went to her, pulling her away from the fight. 

Ginny, however, had other ideas.

"No, Draco, Damn it! I can help fight!" Ginny backhanded Draco with her free hand, making him see stars for a half-second.

"Bloody hell, girl, don't you know that in magical warfare,  _ defense wins the game? _ Come on, we'll do more good over here..." She followed him once she realized he wasn’t pulling her out of the fight entirely; they moved to the outer edge of the pit where the Inferi were coming from. "Mum! Severus! Circle!" He cut his hand and grimaced in pain, running the blood along her wand. "Ginny, stand over there, about 15 meters from me!"

Severus and Narcissa realized what he was up to, and did the same on the opposite side. Molly flocked to her daughter and tried to pull her away, but found a fiery Veela between them.

“Ginny! Get away from-”

“-Molly, let her help! I’ll cover her!”

Arthur seemed helpless in that moment as he watched Hagrid fumble at loading his crossbow, the army of dead crawling over broken walls and through shards of glass.

"What are you doing?! What Order members can fight here?" He yelled as Hermione dual-wielded wands, throwing enough green spell fire that Draco was impressed and scared at the same time. 

_ Good thing she's on our side, _ He thought as ice flowed through his veins,  _ Slytherin’s Mudblood Whore, she’s using the Elder Wand! _

"The Order is dead!" Hermione spat back, chin just over her shoulder.

The hit-wizard that was his mother's friend, Arnie Peasegood, stumbled back in with a massive gash in his arm. "Minister, there are too many Inferi to count, and they have us surrounded. More than two hundred, and I can't even make heads or tails out of the spells the Goblins are using. How do we stop them?"

Kingsley's voice boomed over the chaos. "Inferi Protocol: Blast them to bits, chop them up, and later on we'll burn the body parts. Citizens, do not be alarmed. Please calmly evacuate with the floo network. These are only animated corpses, they are slow and can't really hurt you if you keep your wits about you. Again, STAY CALM and EVACUATE THROUGH THE FLOO NETWORK."

Narcissa had already cleaned and patched Arnie's wound and was in position as the Hit-Wizard laid down cover fire.

"Minister! Some of them... oh god, they died at the Battle of Hogwarts... These are our friends, we can't burn them!" Peasegood's eyes went distant as Severus' sectumsempra cleaved a head entirely off and it rolled a few feet away. Thick red pooled out of the head slowly, the congealing dead blood making a sharp contrast to the pristine marble-colored floor.

"Arnie, it's them or us. And they are already dead. I'm sorry." Narcissa said, burning a rune into the floor. "Ansuz! Ginny, do Uruz! Draco, Algiz. Severus..."

"Tiwaz, got it!" Severus replied as we all carved our runes in respective corners. Ginny, however, panicked.

"Draco, I... I didn't take Ancient Runes! What am I carving?" Those aren't ancient, not really...

"Wonky-looking door frame, like it belongs under a staircase! It will power the circle up!" Draco replied, hoping that there was enough of his blood on her wand for the curse to work. He was certain Narcissa did the same with Severus as the protective circle went up, a light-red tint proving the barrier was erected.

The Inferi hit the barrier and it repelled them like an invisible wall. Narcissa and Severus nodded their thanks and went back to join Hermione at the collapsed wall, were Inferi were starting to stagger in.

Draco looked to Ginny, only to be caught in her arms as she was elated and burning off excess adrenaline. "Draco, that was bloody brilliant!" He smiled back at her, and bit his inner cheek to restrain himself here. It's just the heat of the battle. Don't look into this to mean something.

* * *

##  **HERMIONE**

There was cheering behind Hermione, and she turned to see a protective circle going up, effectively penning in the Inferi that were coming in from below.

_ Bloody brilliant,  _ she thought to herself,  _ now you lot get over here and help! _

As if on cue, a Hit Wizard was by Narcissa's side and they continued to mow down the Inferi coming in through the broken walls. It was difficult work to cleave through inches of human tissue and bone while the DA was doing little more than knockback jinxes. After all the work and training that she and Harry gave them, they are still using childrens' jinxs like this is some game.

"Snape, can you find the wizard out there who animated them?" Peasegood asked, deflecting a hailstorm of spells that made it through a gap of the shambling Inferi. 

“The goblins are using the dead as shields to attack us, those bastards!” Hermione snarled, lobbing an explosion curse to reduce the human shields into mincemeat. 

That’s when Hermione realized what the Hit Wizard's words meant: either the goblins had been prepared for a long time and knew  _ exactly  _ how to raise the dead as Inferi, or they have Wizards, probably Death Eaters, helping them attack the Ministry.

Severus cast the Hominem Revelio spell and shook his head once. "There are no living humans out there; either the Goblins made the Inferi or the person who animated the dead is no longer here."

"So if we kill the wizard, it stops the zombie army?" Hermione asked, hoping that was the case. Narcissa nodded as she started to lob explosion curses past the doorway to thin the incoming herd some more. There were so many bodies coming in, and so many more held back by the circle… it was horrific to realize how many died in the Final Battle and were now back and wanted only to kill.

Seamus' panicked voice cut through the din as the hair stood up on the back of Hermione’s neck. "Um Harry..."

Hermione turned to see what it was; apparently a few Inferi weren't trapped by the circle and... she felt a lump in her neck, strangling her of air as grief took over.

_ Why you? Of all the people… _

Nigel’s corpse stumbled forward, rotting face and broken teeth reminding the Gryffindor that nobody was safe in this war. His eyes were jaundiced and clouded over, utterly dead and yet it took in his surroundings, but the subtle eye and neck movements were gone, as the whole body turned to look around before it lurched into an attack.

Nigel was utterly... void. There was nothing left that was him, no spark of life as the body trudged forward, wandless as his too-thin-in-life arms reached out to grab and kill. 

_ I can’t move against him, not Nigel! He’s the little boy who had hope in his eyes asking for Harry's autograph. _

Seamus cringed as he sent a spell at the animated corpse, and the creature moaned in fear as the outer robes caught fire and scared whatever was left of the inferi’s mind, causing Nigel’s body to stagger around even faster, setting everything around it on fire as well.

Harry turned to survey the mess and was similarly frozen in the moment. It was the one friend who still hero-worshipped him, even after Harry had asked him to stop. He would have been barely 15... he shouldn't have died. Not yet.

Fifteen year olds shouldn’t have been fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts. He was only a fifth-year. 

The inferius kept moving forward in a half-shuffle, and Hermione raised her wand to cleave it apart like she did Lucius. She looked Nigel in what once were shiny eyes and cast the Sectumsempra curse.

Nothing happened. The Gryffindor couldn’t muster the courage to strike down her reanimated friend.

It was Fleur who took care of it; her hands were on fire as she swooped in and grabbed his head and wrenched, a bone-cracking snap that left Hermione feeling squeamish at the sound of it.

And still Nigel’s corpse flailed and singed Fleur's dress.

"Fleur!" Severus said, casting a gust of wind to blow out the flames on the pair of them.

The Veela bared her teeth and yanked again, and the sound of tearing flesh and meat let me know that the young Gryffindor was beheaded. Fleur let the body fall to the ground and looked at the head in her hands, fighting back tears and revulsion as she took to the air and threw the head outside, glad to be rid of the disembodied part.

Hermione turned away from that, looking back towards the oncoming crowd of dead and channeled all of her anger, frustration, and violence into her pair of wands.  _ Nigel should not have died, only to be destroyed like that! _ Fiendfyre erupted as a two-headed fire beast began swiping and devouring the Inferi outside. A wave of satisfaction blossomed as Hermione saw her spell was perfect; there was a heady, pleasurable sensation as a third head grew out of the fiery mass. The heat was so intense that it sliced through the dead flesh without setting the flesh or robes on fire. It was so quick, so clean, so...  _ beautiful.  _

_ To hell with the Goblins, their attempting to ruin the economy, and they're looting the dead just to send them back to kill us. Fuck Magical Inter-Species Cooperation, they all deserve to be burned. Alive. _

Narcissa's hand was on Hermione’s shoulder, lips brushing against her wife’s ear. "Hermione, let it go. We can handle this; end your spell. Please."

**"I warned you all the Goblins were up to something!"** The Gryffindor screamed, enjoying the sight of the fiery creature live, grow, and kill. 

_ They all fucking deserve it for this. _

The wizards and witches let up their attacks as the Inferi quit advancing as they were all cleaved to bits. Whatever Goblins that were out there must have gone to ground, quite possibly in a literal sense.

"Hermione." It was Harry. "The threat is over now. Look behind you."

She didn’t want to look, but she could sense the low hum of magic ceased and the Inferi behind the protective barrier had 'died again', collapsing like marionette dolls with severed strings. 

_ Whomever animated them either died or ran away; either way, the spell wore off.  _

Hermione lowered both wands, dissipating the Fiendfyre creature into wafts of black smoke.

Tears ran down her cheeks as the Gryffindor realized that she was finally able to Dark Magic. And it wasn’t as hard as it was before.

Narcissa’s arms wrapped around the brunette, knocking the air out of her momentarily. "I've got you, 'Mione. We're okay."

Hermione nodded, shivering even though she didn't feel cold. She burrowed her face into her wife, shuddering even more violently for a few more moments until she returned to a small shiver. 

“What?” The Gryffindor’s voice cracked, the rising panic soothed as a hand rubbed circles on her back.

“Shh. It’s okay, it’s okay…” Narcissa murmured in soothing tones, “I’m here.”

Hermione nodded in acceptance, terrified of herself.

_ I just need someone to keep the darkness at bay. _

* * *

##  **NARCISSA**

Narcissa held her wife, attempting to ignore the heart-thudding fear she had when she witnessed something utterly unnatural come over Hermione's features.  _ She's just been going through a lot; losing memories, dealing with stress, killing people... Merlin, no wonder she's being influenced by the Dark. _ She wasn't sure if the tattoo from The Dark Lord or her wielding the Deathstick were the culprit, or if the two of them together was having an exponential effect on her.

She rubbed her hand in gentle circles over her wife’s back, much like she did after Draco had a nightmare, and after he was forced to torture Death Eaters that displeased The Dark Lord before. It was second nature to comfort, even as the world seemed to be falling apart around them.

That was when Narcissa looked up to see that Molly was giving an icy glare, but the Slytherin couldn’t care less. She stared back, giving Hermione a reassuring squeeze as Arthur tried to pull his wife back to tend to their children. Draco and Ginny witnessed the exchange between their mothers and split up, each going back to their respective family.

"You okay, mother?" Draco asked, and Narcissa nodded tightly, ending the back rubs with a quick glance of her eyes. He nodded in understanding and gave the pair some space.

Kingsley had handled the situation remarkably, all things considered. Winning was easier than governing, and Kingsley was more war hero than politician. Once the circle was raised and 'Dumbledore's Army' put up a firing line to keep the Inferi from entering the building, the wizards and witches seemed to feel safe and the near riot turned into an orderly evacuation that trickled to a halt as the threat was over. 

Harry took charge of the Hit Wizards and searched outside for Goblins as Neville had the D.A. start helping heal people and fix up the damaged area. Kingsley took a look at the circle and cautiously approached it.

"The Inferi are now... inactive?" the Minister asked, looking towards the Slytherin.

Narcissa nodded, wondering what he was thinking.

"These people need to be catalogued, families notified, and given proper burials." Kingsley nodded to himself, wheels turning in his mind. "House Elves! Can you pop these bodies into the morgue at St. Mungo's, please?"

A phalanx of House-Elves, bearing pillow cases adorned with the Ministry of Magic sigil popped into existence and flinched away from the circle. "We cannot cross blood magic, Sir. It must be taken down first."

Kingsley nodded, and Narcissa broke the circle by reaching out and touching the barrier with a bloody hand. Hermione buried her face into the blonde's neck, not wanting to see the dead. Cissy couldn't really blame her, either. The runes on the ground faded away as well, proving the circle had been utterly removed. 

_ At least this is going right… _ the Slytherin thought,  _ but how long until the other shoe drops? _

Fleur snarled as she dug through the pile of dead and pulled out a Goblin that had been stuck in the tangle of corpses as he tried to escape. Her fiery hand snapped and burned the wand into uselessness as she collared the Goblin and shoved him into the Minister.

Kingsley sneered at the Goblin and had him bound with magical rope. "You will be executed for this crime, Goblin."

The goblin, covered in blood and pus of others, grinned back in defiance. "You see what we can do with wands. We have shut down the bank and your economy will fail. It is time for you to surrender and allow us the free use of wands."

The Minister frowned at the goblin. "You think I'm going to negotiate with you now? The offer I had before was that the Goblins must agree to learn our ways and our ethics when it comes to using magic! Raising the dead like this is  **specifically forbidden** !"

"We Goblins will not go to your little Hogwarts, be sorted under the Thief Gryffindor, and subjugate ourselves like common children!  **We demand recognition!** "

"Where I stand, there are over a dozen people dead from your attack. I will not kowtow to terrorists!"

"Hundreds of Goblins died, and we lost our dragon in our bank! That YOUR KIND occupied!"

"That was under the old regime that I fought against, you can't hold that against the Ministry now!"

"We Goblins do not take sides in matters between Wizards."

"Yet you blame my administration for the injustices that Voldemort perpetrated on your people?"

"Wizards wronged the Goblins, and you now lead the Wizards. You refuse to give us the witch's head as our traditions dictate, therefore we made this counter-offer."

Neville's wand was at the goblin's throat, eyes blazing with fury.

"This was your idea of a negotiation tactic, you bloody munter?"

"We will strike back, with  _ more of us, _ stronger than before." The Goblin spat, rage in his eyes.

**"Azkaban."** Kingsley ground out, and the Goblin’s magical rope bindings turned into metal bands as he was taken into custody by Neville.

"That's a Wizard Prison! You can't do that to me!" The goblin's protests fell on deaf ears as the young Auror disapparated with him.

* * *

##  **KINGSLEY**

Kingsley sighed, glad that the latest crisis was over. The news agencies that had been there to report on the awards banquet were still there, and were taking photos and interviewing witches and wizards for first-hand accounts. He know that Percy would panic and suggest kicking the press out, but the Minister had overheard how people were talking. This can only be good.

Harry approached the Minister. "Okay, Kingsley, I modified the Taboo so we won't get trapped in like that again. Here's the new jinxed phrase." He handed over a slip of paper.

_ I love Severus' bright, smiling face. _

"Well, that's easy to remember and nobody will accidentally say that. How powerful is the Taboo?" Kingsley asked, putting his wand to the paper and burning it to ash.

"It is powerful enough to break everything but the Fidelius Charm here in the UK, but only serve as a kind of magical beacon outside of our jurisdiction." Kingsley nodded at that, his face frowning as he heard an owl hooting overhead.

"That's all I need; to get laden with mail now..." The Minister mused as he looked up to see how many owls were going to swoop in.

"All owl post addressed to the Minister goes directly to the Ministry's Secretaries, not directly to you. And we had owl-repelling charms up as well." Percy replied, nonplussed.

The tawny barn owl was visible as was the bright red envelope clutched in its claws... as well as some substance that turned Harry Potter white as a ghost.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing up at the owl coming in through the wall, "Is that what I think it is?" Ronald saw it as well and instantly disapparated with Lavender in his arms.

Narcissa's eyes saw the envelope heading towards them and realized what was happening, a second too late. "EVERYONE OUT NOW! IT'S ERUMPENT HORN! MOVE!" Most of the wizards and witches looked on in confusion, not knowing what the danger was. Severus' wand was out and trained on the envelope, and Kingsley wasn't certain the Potions Master could safely cleave the horn from the howler.

"IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE! GET OUT! NOW!" Fleur commanded, gathering up the nerve to take it on.

Fleur took to the air and reached to grab the owl, but the bird dodged easily and flew directly towards Hermione Granger. Narcissa and Hermione were frozen in fear, uncertain how they could escape the imminent explosion. The owl was trained to deliver the letter to its target, and the letter was designed to ignite and explode, and the Horn itself was simply overkill.

Witches and Wizards began to flee as everyone else began to disapparate as the letter and parcel was released, falling the few feet towards the intended victim. The owl turned away, and both Fleur and Severus took the the sky to follow it back in hopes to learn the identity of the sender.

Kingsley was disapparated to safety with Percy, a mere hundred meters away from the building.

"Merlin's Beard!" The Minister said before the night erupted in blinding white.

_ Neither of them could escape in time. _

_ This would be it for them, and they both knew it. _

_ Their hands joined as the Wand of Destiny was clasped between them. _

_ There was love. There was conviction. And an unquenchable need to stay alive. _

_ Lips met and magic spilled forth from between them, the light growing in intensity as the envelope fell open. _

** _"I HAVE LOCATED WENDELL AND MONICA WILKINS_ ** **! GIVE ME THE WAND AND I WILL SPARE THEM!"**

* * *

##  **HERMIONE**

Hermione staggered, fingers laced with her wife's, confused as to what just happened. 

_ An erumpent horn exploded in my face, right? How am I alive? _

"Hermione! You're okay, thank Merlin." The voice was barely registering over the ringing in her ears.

It took another few moments as she blinked a few times and her eyes re-adjusted to the light, mulling over the words of the howler. Hermione knew she had to make a choice; her parents, the wizarding world, or her new family. 

_ Narcissa and Draco have each other. The Wizarding World has Kingsley, Snape, Harry… they will be okay. My parents don’t have anyone to defend them. _

The decision was simple. She had to find her parents and protect them.

"How did we survive that? I don't even think those tactical robes should have been enough..." The Gryffindor replied, Narcissa's eyes were watery and she blinked, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I think it was the wand, maybe also our Compulsion. Self-preservation can be a very powerful thing. Did you hear the howler?" 

Hermione shuddered as the memory of Voldemort's voice went through her head.  _ It couldn’t be him; he’s dead, and dead is dead is dead! _

"I heard, but it can't really be him. We killed him. He's dead, and dead is dead, right? No matter what necromancy your sister knows?"

Narcissa nodded, a bit too fast to be focused.

"No, I agree. He can't be alive. It has to be Bella. She was unhinged before Azkaban, and now… I don’t know what she believes or can accomplish. What we know for certain is that she wants that wand for herself, and if The Dark Lord were still alive somehow, he could have used his connection with you." Narcissa said, pointing to the Ouborous tattoo on her wife’s right wrist. 

An arctic chill spread through the Gryffindor as she realized she was idly scratching at the mark. 

_ Harry's scar always hurt when... No. Dead is Dead. And he's Dead. For good. _

"But… how the  **hell** did she find my parents? I had them change their names, faces, sent them to...  ** _Damn it!_ ** It was supposed to be fail-proof." Hermione slumped, panic starting to take over. "It was supposed to keep them safe."

Narcissa's hand cupped her wife’s cheek, eyes beseeching to meet her own. Hermione saw her wife’s worry and fear there; the Slytherin was just as invested in saving her muggle parents as she was.

"I'll come with you and rescue them. Where are they? We should go back home and get some supplies, change out of our ruined gowns..." 

“There’s no time! She could be there, torturing or killing them like she did to me! FUCK getting supplies! I need to go now!" Hermione turned away from her wife, but Narcissa’s hand grasped her wife’s bicep with a seeker’s reflex, holding tight like an iron claw.

"Hermione, you  _ must know _ that this is a trap; you do realize that this is a trap laid just for you?! The Goblins aren’t done attacking us, we could use you here defending Diagon-"

"-I DON’T CARE! I'm going,  _ she's going to die, _ and my parents will be safe!" Hermione snapped, yanking her arm out of the Slytherin’s grip, drawing blood as the blonde’s nails scratched flesh.

"...this is just a ruse to get the wand..." Cissy said plaintively.

"I know. She won't get it." The Gryffindor said through clenched teeth.

"Hermione,  _ please _ just let Severus and Fleur do this job. You  _ don't know _ what she is capable of!"

"NO! My mother, my father, MY responsibility." Narcissa looked stricken. Her lips were pressed thin as a hint of anger was in her eyes.

"Is the wand your responsibility too? The Deathstick is  _ affecting you _ ."

Granger turned and exploded in frustration.

"Cissy, she'll have to take this wand from my cold, dead hands!" She sneered, voice going a bit more shrill than she had hoped. "I have to go rescue my parents. She can't actually know where they are." Hermione tried to take a slow breath to calm down, but instead panted and felt on the verge of hyperventilating. 

_ Maybe she has a point, but for now... no, I have to save them.  _ ** _Alone._ **

"Then I'll come with you."

"NO!” 

Narcissa jerked back, genuine fear in her eyes. 

“I mean… I… I don't know how I'll explain you to them. How I could explain… well, us." 

_ Mum, dad, I killed a man and now I bang his absolute dish of a wife... you know them, I sucker-punched her son five years ago? _

"I thought that the muggles were more okay with homosexual liasons? If need be, I will explain it to them if you want. But I'm not letting you go out there alone while my sister is out there!" 

"Won't  **'let me'** ? You KNOW I can order you to not follow me, Cissy!"

"Why are you being such a stubborn idiot!" Narcissa winced, her face twisted as if she sucked on a lemon. "I want to go and help protect you AND my in-laws! They are family to me, too!" 

"Ugh, I just want to leave MY parents out of all this! Why is this so difficult?"

Narcissa’s brows came together as she seemed to look past the Gryffindor, a look that reminded Hermione of when Ron was playing Wizard’s Chess.

“Well, what about the social change you want to do here? You’re no good to the fight against anti-muggleborn prejudice if you’re dead! Slytherin’s Snake, Hermione, we need each other to make any of our plans work!”

“Is  _ that _ all I’m worth to you? A pawn in your cats paws of… social mobility?!” 

_ Destination: Australia. Wherever my parents are. Determination: I will kill Bellatrix with the Elder Wand. That enough? Deliberation: Sod it. _

Narcissa knew her wife was about to apparate away as she verbally lashed out.

"How can you be so  ** _fucking stupid_ ** and self-centered!"

The last thing Hermione saw was Narcissa, doubled over in pain as blood poured out of her nose and ears.

* * *

##  **NARCISSA**

Narcissa didn't have much time, so she looked around and had to  _ improvise _ a plan. Locking the doors with colloportus, she ripped part of her dress off and tossed it over the carved up remains of an Inferi that was so unrecognizable the House-Elves left it behind. Glancing around, she found other dead parts that appeared to be female and picked them up, and slightly concerned at how little it seemed to repulse her now, tossed the arm and head atop of it.

Her eyes locked onto the brown curls, seeing that the woman had probably died from splinching. The face wasn't entirely right, but fire would take care of that. Arranging the head upon the other parts that she had covered with her torn dress, she set them aflame and watched what looked like a pair of witches huddled in death together.

_ This is not our future, the arithmancy doesn't lie. I just need to figure out the missing variables…  _ Narcissa thought to herself, her mind clicking a new fact into place. Hermione's line in her Arithmantic equation became darker for some reason, and the reason was obvious to her now.

_ I definitely need to save her, not just from Bella, but from herself. _

"Mum? Mother!" Draco stumbled through the gaping hole in the wall, relief flooding his face. "I thought… I was…" He looked down. "Hermione…  _ what? _ " His eyes narrowed as his mind took it all in and couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"Where are Hermione's parents?" Narcissa asked.  _ I wish she had trusted me with this... _

"I don't know! She didn't say… don't think she even told Harry or Ron."

"Are you sure? Your Aunt Bella might have them prisoner." Her son stared at the burning bodies nearby. "Draco, snap out of it! We don't have much time!"

"She's still alive, isn't she? The wrist is missing that snake tattoo The Dark Lord gave her, and the blonde is the wrong color for you…" Draco looked into his mother's eyes. "Mum, what's the angle here?"

"We need the element of surprise on our side, and I need to know where she's going. Now, was there anything you heard? Asked about any place, any country?" 

There were spells slamming into the locked doors, possibly Peasegood or some other Hit Wizards coming to the rescue. 

“We don't have much time, Draco!”

"Harry asked about Australia." Draco's eyes widened in horror at the realization. "Hermione must have sent them through muggle channels to circumvent their Magical Authority. Brilliant move, until she uses magic there…"

"Slytherin's Snake and all his mud-!" She cursed, realizing the trap that she was walking into. “The AMA makes our Hit Wizards look like the trolley witch on the Hogwarts Express! Draco, where did you move the battle box?"

"The batt-”

“-tell me!”

“Mother, you can't seriously be thinking of going on your-"

"-where is it? I can't just let her do this alone!" A bit of hysteria was in her voice, but she couldn't help it.  _ Hermione may have had a few hexes whizz past her head in Gringotts, but that's nothing compared to what she's facing out there! _

Narcissa's heart raced, and her vision was tunneling to the tasks ahead of her. She lived in panic of being left alone, fighting for her life as she's surrounded by complete strangers who would kill you as soon as you order a drink at a bar.

War changes people, and Narcissa didn’t like how impulsive she was becoming.

"It's in the Catacombs, by the emergency wands, but you know you can't use them-" 

“I know I can't use magic there; but at least I have Severus' skullduggery.”  _ And a few of my own tricks up my sleeve,  _ she thought to herself,  _ like making these corpses believable enough to be us.  _ The Slytherin put a glamour on the exposed wrist to mark it like her wife's, and quickly turned the wand upon her son.

"Mother, you wouldn’t-"

"Obliviate." Cissy backed away, disillusioning herself as Kingsley blasted his way through the locked door and saw a slumped and crying Draco, mourning the death of his mother and her wife.

_ I hope you can understand this in time, Draco. _

* * *

##  **GINNY**

Ginny ran past Shacklebolt and Harry, eyes streaming at the shock of blonde at the center of the blast. Sobbing could be heard from the young Slytherin, and it relieved her more than anything. Severus and Fleur had flown after the owl, hoping to trace it back to the sender, while Harry had directed the Hit Wizards and the D.A. to look for clues to identify those responsible for the initial attack.

_ His blood was on my wand, and we cast a powerful protective circle using what I was taught was Dark Magic,  _ Ginny considered, _ but I was also told that loving another witch was Dark as well.  _

As Ginny went to put her arms around Draco and console him, she couldn’t think being homosexual was wrong in the slightest. 

_ It's not for me, but if Hermione and Narcissa could make it work for each other, who am I to judge? _

She squeezed the Slytherin in her arms, affection turning into a pang of guilt that went through her entire body. She had liked two different guys before, but this felt different. At least this time only one of them wanted her, however, so it felt like a simple enough solution: let go of the boy who doesn’t love her back.

Draco's head tilted and rested on her arms, grateful for the acceptance and the freedom to let his emotions out. Ginny could tell it had been a very long time since he had last been honest with his own heart.

"Shh, Draco. I've got you." His hands cradled her arm as she knelt to hold him to her. Other Order members caught up, and it was her mother who would break the silence.

"Ginny, I'm not sure you should be this close-" she said uncertainly.

"Piss off! Cissy and 'Mione are dead!" Ginny felt tears roll down her cheeks, her voice going hoarse. "Does this make you  **FUCKING HAPPY!?** "

Draco stirred at the outburst. "Gin, don't. Not now." He said as he turned to put an arm around her as well. Ginny automatically kissed the top of his forehead as tears ran down his face.

"It doesn't make me happy,  _ Ginevra! _ But you know two wrongs don't make a right!" Molly said, anger infusing her words with venom.

"Ladies, we don't need to do this. In fact, what we need is to reconvene the Order; now that Hogwarts is rebuilt, we need to get the Ministry Departments in line..."

Arthur stared the man down. "Who died and put you in charge? I answered to Albus Dumbledore, and then Alastor Moody. Not your little pet boy who lived, and definitely not the bloke who wheeled and dealed his way into power here!"

Harry turned, shocked at what the Weasley Patriarch had said. "I'm nobody's little pet, Arthur! I'm doing my part to end this conflict, what are you doing?"

"Yeah, you earned the position to run the Auror Guild on  _ sheer talent _ , right? MY SON deserves it more than you!" Harry flinched at the man's breath, and recognized the sickly-sweet tang of alcohol there.

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the contact Galleon, charming a new message to appear on it. "This is why the Order is dead; you're too busy squabbling and disparaging my best friend and her wife,  _ before their bodies are even cold, _ to focus on what needs to happen! Mrs. Weasley, grow up. Mr. Weasley, sober up. Are you coming, Draco? Ginny?" 

Ginny helped Draco up as he nodded.

"Figure out who the real enemy is, mum. I'm going with them." Ginny said, shooting her parents a look of utter disgust.

Molly was affronted. "What? We only wanted to do the right thing!"

Draco's eyes were red from tears, and he was angry for showing this much emotion to them, but didn't care. "Your definition of  **'right'** is the problem, Mrs. Weasley! My mother was a good woman, and she made the best of her situation with Hermione."

"Don't you dare talk to me about knowing right from wrong,  ** _Malfoy!_ ** I know you got branded with the Dark Mark, and I don't like the way you've been hanging around my daughter."

"She's allowed to make her own decisions, just like I did. And just so you know, I didn't have a choice about the mark, but I did choose to kill The Dark Lord." Draco said, his hand in Ginny's.

Harry looked past the Weasley parents to a dejected Ronald. "Ron, we could use you. When it comes to tactics, you were always more clever than 'Mione."

The boy opened his mouth to say something, but closed it, shaking his head and turning away. Grief flooded his features, and walked away from them all.

* * *

##  **RITA**

Rita thought she'd get applause when her story got published. Or even subtle, angry glares as she scooped them all. As she walked into the Daily Prophet building, it was chaos. She had fled at the first sight of the Goblin attack, and had assumed it would be yet another silly little rebellion that the Aurors and Hit Wizards would put down.

This was turning out to be much different. She'd have to ask what happened, and if her story would get bumped from the front page. 

_ I hate it when my headlines land below the fold... _

"SKEETER!" the Editor shouted as he saw her. "My office!"

She put on her usual smile and strode across the office, the clacking of her heels deafening everything around her. The Editor was a portly, balding man with a penchant for pinstripes that did nothing to slim down his appearance.

"Evening, Robert. What's all the hubbub about?" She asked coyly, running her tongue across her teeth.

"Tell me you have something from tonight! We can't get scooped by The Quibbler again!"

"Oh, how is Xenophilius? Bollocks deep in a ghoul, like always?" Her joke landed on deaf ears. “Tough crowd tonight.”

"I don’t want jokes, I want details! The Ministry Awards Banquet. I made you staff so you'd have credentials to get in. Tell me you have the story!"

Rita shrugged. "Some goblins got uppity and will be executed, no big deal. The crime is that I didn't get awarded my Order or Merlin tonight."

"You... you  _ stupid bint. _ Over a dozen wizards died from the largest Inferi attack on record! Severus Snape is being sent off to Merlin knows where in hopes to catch Bellatrix! You couldn't have disapparated out of there... where were you?"

Rita shrugged nonchalantly. "I... buzzed off. I'd have stuck around if I had known there were Inferi..."  _ I most certainly would not,  _ she mused,  _ I'm glad I got out of there alive when I did. _

Robert's fist slammed the table. "MERLIN! I wish I had pulled your article now! The very night she was supposed to be granted the highest honor in the wizarding world, she gets assassinated!"

Her face pinched as if she sipped dishwater. "Assassinated? That's a strong term for such a useless, little girl..."

"Hermione and Narcissa Granger are dead,  _ literal martyrs to their cause _ , and all you can do is keep grinding your axe?! If you EVER want to write in an english-speaking nation again, I advise you pick up on where the winds are blowing! For now, consider your staff position terminated and you're back on getting paid by the article on an ad-hoc basis."

Rita sputtered at that, her former lover’s death a punch in the gut.  _ My Cissy, dead?! _ Her mind caught up to the rest and realized that she just got fired. "But... you can't fire me! I have a  _ loyal fanbase _ ..."

"Actually, you had a  _ Pureblood _ fan-base. And the fact that my paper called Hermione a ‘galleon-grubbing harlot’ ON THE VERY NIGHT SHE DIED has absolutely  **FUCKED ME** !"

“Am I being told what to write? I’ve always got to write what I wanted, even when-” Rita's mouth was clenched shut in surprise. 

_ Even when You-Know-Who was in charge. _

It struck her that she had been verbally eviscerating enemies of the greatest evil the world had ever seen and had essentially done their regime favor after favor.

She knew she had made a lot of Galleons by attacking Harry and Albus, but in doing so, delayed the start of the war and made it claim more victims. The death toll didn't bother her as much as her loss of job security, though. Her income wouldn't be steady if she didn't have a regular column, and went about thinking of a way to reinvent herself to ensure her continued presence and publication in the Wizarding media.

_ I'd rather starve than go crawling back to Xenophilius and his little rag! _ She swore as she remembered the fluff-pieces she wrote early in her career about the Wizarding Wireless Network and the 'talkies', a station that didn't play music but instead had a witch and a wizard talking about the current events and summarize the ministerial activities as well as the latest quidditch scores. They had spoken about having her on there for live interviews and whatnot, and she had been unsure about this since there would be no editing process, and once it was said, it was out there for all to hear.

The Wireless channel was owned by an odd-seeming couple, but they had a loyal fan base who would send owls all the time. Perhaps it's time to expand to the Wireless after all...

"...are you even listening to me, Skeeter? Get out and don't come back until you have something decent to publish!"

Rita quirked up a corner of her mouth.  _ Oh yes, you're definitely going to be listening to me soon. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hiatus might be over; this story was originally dedicated to my wife, whom I at the time of writing these words have been with for 14 years.
> 
> She is divorcing me, and has never fully read this story that I wrote for her, to explain my devotion through the many hurdles we've faced. This re-write was to have a new addition to the CissaMione pairing (as I'm unabashedly polyamorous) but we'll see how the Muse inspires me to finish this work now.
> 
> I don’t hate my soon to be ex wife; in fact, I think I’ll love her to my dying day. But some things cannot work out, as war changes people. Sometimes differences in compatibility cannot be overcome. I do hope she finds Harmony though.


End file.
